Scott McLaughlin taking lessons from last year’s nightmare ahead of NZ showdown for Supercars title

November 23, 2018

The Kiwi driver said he'll bounce back next year but right now, it's a tough pill to swallow.

It will forever be known as one of Supercars' greatest finales.

But Ford's Scott McLaughlin reckons he still hasn't seen replays of his gut- wrenching 2017 season finish after returning to Newcastle to win his maiden championship this weekend.

McLaughlin, 25, has arrived at the final round Newcastle 500 with his first title in his sights, holding a 14-point series lead over Holden rival Shane van Gisbergen in the closest season finish in a decade.

ADELAIDE, AUSTRALIA - AUGUST 26: (L-R) 2nd place Shane Van Gisbergen driver of the #97 Red Bull Holden Racing Team Holden Commodore ZB, 1st place Jamie Whincup driver of the #1 Red Bull Holden Racing Team Holden Commodore ZB and 3rd place David Reynolds driver of the #9 Erebus Penrite Racing Holden Commodore ZB celebrate on the podium after race 23 for the Supercars SuperSprint at The Bend Motorsport Park on August 26, 2018 in Adelaide, Australia.  (Photo by Daniel Kalisz/Getty Images)

However, McLaughlin is not taking anything for granted after spectacularly having the 2017 title snatched from his grasp by van Gisbergen's teammate Jamie Whincup last year.

McLaughlin appeared to have an historic Supercars title in the bag when he held a 78-point championship lead over Whincup and claimed pole for the season's final race in Newcastle last year.

Coulthard, Scott McLaughlin and Shane van Gisbergen have all shone this Supercars season.

However, history shows Whincup came from the clouds to upset McLaughlin and deny the flying Kiwi his first Supercars crown in dramatic scenes.

Not that McLaughlin has watched it since.

"I haven't watched that race at all. I've started watching a snippet of it and gone 'nah, can't watch it'," McLaughlin said.

"I think it's just a normal driver thing. It's one where I don't need to watch it, I know what happened."

He still can't bear to see a replay but McLaughlin reckons he learned plenty from last year's finale as he prepares to make history as the 25th Supercars series champion.

Asked what he'd taken out of his 2017 defeat, McLaughlin said: "Just never give up.

"I was proud of how we just kept coming back through and were there right to the end.

"We were champion there for a little bit and then had that little drama, but just never give up and press on."

McLaughlin has been one to watch for the championship since becoming the youngest driver in Supercars history to win a race when he claimed line honours at the New Zealand round in Pukekohe in 2013 aged just 19.

McLaughlin hopes to be finally rewarded after being the year's dominant driver, winning a championship-high eight races and claiming 13 poles.

Rival van Gisbergen has savoured seven victories and five poles in 2018.

Practice for the Newcastle 500 starts on Friday with the championship to be decided by 95-lap races on Saturday and Sunday.

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