2017 Newcastle 500

The 2017 Coates Hire Newcastle 500 was a motor racing event for the Supercars Championship, held on the weekend of 24 to 26 November 2017. The event was held on the Newcastle Street Circuit in Newcastle East, New South Wales and consisted of two races, 250 kilometres in length. It was the fourteenth and final event in the 2017 Supercars Championship and hosted Races 25 and 26 of the season.^[1]

2017 Coates Hire Newcastle 500

Event Information
Round 14 of 14 in the 2017 Supercars Championship
Date	24–26 November 2017
Location	Newcastle East, New South Wales
Venue	Newcastle Street Circuit
Weather	Friday: Fine Saturday: Fine Sunday: Light cloud
Results
Race 1 Distance 91 laps 241 km Pole position Scott McLaughlin DJR Team Penske 1:09.9064 Winner Scott McLaughlin DJR Team Penske 2:00:01.7051
Race 2 Distance 95 laps 250 km Pole position Scott McLaughlin DJR Team Penske 1:10.5212 Winner Jamie Whincup Triple Eight Race Engineering 2:00:09.8054

The event was the first running of the Newcastle 500, following the discontinuation of the Sydney 500 at the conclusion of the 2016 season.^[2]

Background

Five drivers came into the final event of the series with a mathematical chance of securing the title, the highest number since 2005. The event offered a maximum of 300 points, 150 per race win. Jamie Whincup led the championship on 2850 points, 30 points ahead of Scott McLaughlin. McLaughlin's team-mate Fabian Coulthard sat third, 176 points behind Whincup. Chaz Mostert and Shane van Gisbergen were the other two drivers in the title fight, but both were over 250 points behind Whincup.

Taz Douglas replaced Jack Perkins at Lucas Dumbrell Motorsport.^[3]

Report

Scott McLaughlin scored pole position for both races and won the first race of the weekend

Practice

Practice summary

Session	Day	Fastest lap
		No.	Driver	Team	Car	Time
Practice 1	Friday	88	Jamie Whincup	Triple Eight Race Engineering	Holden VF Commodore	1:10.1577
Practice 2	Friday	17	Scott McLaughlin	DJR Team Penske	Ford FG X Falcon	1:09.5949
Source:[4][5]

Race 25

Qualifying

Pos.	No.	Name	Team	Car	Time
1	17	Scott McLaughlin	DJR Team Penske	Ford FG X Falcon	1:09.9064
2	9	David Reynolds	Erebus Motorsport	Holden VF Commodore	+0.0098
3	97	Shane van Gisbergen	Triple Eight Race Engineering	Holden VF Commodore	+0.0418
4	23	Michael Caruso	Nissan Motorsport	Nissan L33 Altima	+0.0586
5	88	Jamie Whincup	Triple Eight Race Engineering	Holden VF Commodore	+0.0923
6	15	Rick Kelly	Nissan Motorsport	Nissan L33 Altima	+0.1241
7	19	Will Davison	Tekno Autosports	Holden VF Commodore	+0.1420
8	12	Fabian Coulthard	DJR Team Penske	Ford FG X Falcon	+0.1774
9	22	James Courtney	Walkinshaw Racing	Holden VF Commodore	+0.3143
10	55	Chaz Mostert	Rod Nash Racing	Ford FG X Falcon	+0.3157
11	5	Mark Winterbottom	Prodrive Racing Australia	Ford FG X Falcon	+0.3292
12	8	Nick Percat	Brad Jones Racing	Holden VF Commodore	+0.3699
13	34	James Moffat	Garry Rogers Motorsport	Holden VF Commodore	+0.3713
14	7	Todd Kelly	Nissan Motorsport	Nissan L33 Altima	+0.3835
15	14	Tim Slade	Brad Jones Racing	Holden VF Commodore	+0.4333
16	33	Garth Tander	Garry Rogers Motorsport	Holden VF Commodore	+0.4572
17	02	Scott Pye	Walkinshaw Racing	Holden VF Commodore	+0.5032
18	18	Lee Holdsworth	Team 18	Holden VF Commodore	+0.5235
19	6	Cam Waters	Prodrive Racing Australia	Ford FG X Falcon	+0.5479
20	888	Craig Lowndes	Triple Eight Race Engineering	Holden VF Commodore	+0.5949
21	99	Dale Wood	Erebus Motorsport	Holden VF Commodore	+0.5974
22	78	Simona de Silvestro	Nissan Motorsport	Nissan L33 Altima	+0.6975
23	3	Aaren Russell	Lucas Dumbrell Motorsport	Holden VF Commodore	+1.0462
24	21	Tim Blanchard	Tim Blanchard Racing	Holden VF Commodore	+1.1732
25	56	Jason Bright	Britek Motorsport	Ford FG X Falcon	+1.2089
26	62	Taz Douglas	Lucas Dumbrell Motorsport	Holden VF Commodore	+1.3401
Source:[6]

Race

Pos	No.	Driver	Team	Car	Laps	Time / Retired	Grid	Points
1	17	Scott McLaughlin	DJR Team Penske	Ford FG X Falcon	91	2:00:01.7051	1	150
2	12	Fabian Coulthard	DJR Team Penske	Ford FG X Falcon	91	+2.4430	8	138
3	14	Tim Slade	Brad Jones Racing	Holden VF Commodore	91	+3.5060	15	129
4	18	Lee Holdsworth	Team 18	Holden VF Commodore	91	+4.1874	18	120
5	9	David Reynolds	Erebus Motorsport	Holden VF Commodore	91	+10.9000	2	111
6	55	Chaz Mostert	Rod Nash Racing	Ford FG X Falcon	91	+11.8228	10	102
7	02	Scott Pye	Walkinshaw Racing	Holden VF Commodore	91	+12.9853	17	96
8	8	Nick Percat	Brad Jones Racing	Holden VF Commodore	91	+13.8657	12	90
9	19	Will Davison	Tekno Autosports	Holden VF Commodore	91	+14.3288	7	84
10	15	Rick Kelly	Nissan Motorsport	Nissan L33 Altima	91	+15.6008	6	78
11	33	Garth Tander	Garry Rogers Motorsport	Holden VF Commodore	91	+17.5093	16	72
12	21	Tim Blanchard	Tim Blanchard Racing	Holden VF Commodore	91	+18.1966	24	69
13	6	Cam Waters	Prodrive Racing Australia	Ford FG X Falcon	91	+18.6987	19	66
14	23	Michael Caruso	Nissan Motorsport	Nissan L33 Altima	91	+19.0794	4	63
15	7	Todd Kelly	Nissan Motorsport	Nissan L33 Altima	91	+21.3520	14	60
16	97	Shane van Gisbergen	Triple Eight Race Engineering	Holden VF Commodore	91	+24.43581	3	57
17	5	Mark Winterbottom	Prodrive Racing Australia	Ford FG X Falcon	89	+2 Laps	11	54
18	99	Dale Wood	Erebus Motorsport	Holden VF Commodore	89	+2 Laps	21	51
19	22	James Courtney	Walkinshaw Racing	Holden VF Commodore	88	+3 Laps	9	48
20	78	Simona de Silvestro	Nissan Motorsport	Nissan L33 Altima	83	+8 Laps	22	45
21	88	Jamie Whincup	Triple Eight Race Engineering	Holden VF Commodore	78	+13 Laps	5	42
Ret	888	Craig Lowndes	Triple Eight Race Engineering	Holden VF Commodore	62	Accident damage	20
Ret	34	James Moffat	Garry Rogers Motorsport	Holden VF Commodore	54	Accident	13
Ret	3	Aaren Russell	Lucas Dumbrell Motorsport	Holden VF Commodore	31	Accident	23
Ret	56	Jason Bright	Britek Motorsport	Ford FG X Falcon	1	Accident damage	25
Ret	62	Taz Douglas	Lucas Dumbrell Motorsport	Holden VF Commodore	1	Accident damage	26
Source:[7]

• ^1 Shane van Gisbergen received a 15 second penalty for a driving infringement.

Race 26

Qualifying

Pos.	No.	Name	Team	Car	Time
1	5	Mark Winterbottom	Prodrive Racing Australia	Ford FG X Falcon	1:10.2009
2	97	Shane van Gisbergen	Triple Eight Race Engineering	Holden VF Commodore	+0.0036
3	9	David Reynolds	Erebus Motorsport	Holden VF Commodore	+0.1266
4	17	Scott McLaughlin	DJR Team Penske	Ford FG X Falcon	+0.1705
5	15	Rick Kelly	Nissan Motorsport	Nissan L33 Altima	+0.2052
6	88	Jamie Whincup	Triple Eight Race Engineering	Holden VF Commodore	+0.2320
7	55	Chaz Mostert	Rod Nash Racing	Ford FG X Falcon	+0.2416
8	23	Michael Caruso	Nissan Motorsport	Nissan L33 Altima	+0.3075
9	7	Todd Kelly	Nissan Motorsport	Nissan L33 Altima	+0.3270
10	12	Fabian Coulthard	DJR Team Penske	Ford FG X Falcon	+0.3596
11	19	Will Davison	Tekno Autosports	Holden VF Commodore	+0.3949
12	6	Cam Waters	Prodrive Racing Australia	Ford FG X Falcon	+0.4323
13	18	Lee Holdsworth	Team 18	Holden VF Commodore	+0.4390
14	34	James Moffat	Garry Rogers Motorsport	Holden VF Commodore	+0.4720
15	8	Nick Percat	Brad Jones Racing	Holden VF Commodore	+0.4971
16	14	Tim Slade	Brad Jones Racing	Holden VF Commodore	+0.4974
17	78	Simona de Silvestro	Nissan Motorsport	Nissan L33 Altima	+0.6723
18	02	Scott Pye	Walkinshaw Racing	Holden VF Commodore	+0.7706
19	33	Garth Tander	Garry Rogers Motorsport	Holden VF Commodore	+0.8185
20	56	Jason Bright	Britek Motorsport	Ford FG X Falcon	+0.8270
21	21	Tim Blanchard	Tim Blanchard Racing	Holden VF Commodore	+0.8280
22	888	Craig Lowndes	Triple Eight Race Engineering	Holden VF Commodore	+0.8506
23	99	Dale Wood	Erebus Motorsport	Holden VF Commodore	+1.0239
24	22	James Courtney	Walkinshaw Racing	Holden VF Commodore	+1.1635
25	3	Aaren Russell	Lucas Dumbrell Motorsport	Holden VF Commodore	+1.4382
26	62	Taz Douglas	Lucas Dumbrell Motorsport	Holden VF Commodore	+1.4502
Source:[8]

Top 10 Shootout

Pos.	No.	Driver	Team	Car	Time	Gap
1	17	Scott McLaughlin	DJR Team Penske	Ford FG X Falcon	1:10.5211
2	97	Shane van Gisbergen	Triple Eight Race Engineering	Holden VF Commodore	1:10.5502	+0.0290
3	9	David Reynolds	Erebus Motorsport	Holden VF Commodore	1:10.6765	+0.1554
4	5	Mark Winterbottom	Prodrive Racing Australia	Ford FG X Falcon	1:10.8429	+0.3217
5	88	Jamie Whincup	Triple Eight Race Engineering	Holden VF Commodore	1:10.8665	+0.3453
6	15	Rick Kelly	Nissan Motorsport	Nissan L33 Altima	1:10.9438	+0.4226
7	23	Michael Caruso	Nissan Motorsport	Nissan L33 Altima	1:11.0045	+0.4834
8	12	Fabian Coulthard	DJR Team Penske	Ford FG X Falcon	1:11.0174	+0.4963
9	55	Chaz Mostert	Rod Nash Racing	Ford FG X Falcon	1:11.3532	+0.8320
10	7	Todd Kelly	Nissan Motorsport	Nissan L33 Altima	1:11.8448	+1.3236
Source:[9]

Race

Pos	No.	Driver	Team	Car	Laps	Time / Retired	Grid	Points
1	88	Jamie Whincup	Triple Eight Race Engineering	Holden VF Commodore	95	2:00:09.8054	5	150
2	97	Shane van Gisbergen	Triple Eight Race Engineering	Holden VF Commodore	95	+4.481	2	138
3	9	David Reynolds	Erebus Motorsport	Holden VF Commodore	95	+5.717	3	129
4	15	Rick Kelly	Nissan Motorsport	Nissan L33 Altima	95	+6.682	6	120
5	23	Michael Caruso	Nissan Motorsport	Nissan L33 Altima	95	+7.550	7	111
6	8	Nick Percat	Brad Jones Racing	Holden VF Commodore	95	+8.847	15	102
7	5	Mark Winterbottom	Prodrive Racing Australia	Ford FG X Falcon	95	+9.785	4	96
8	18	Lee Holdsworth	Team 18	Holden VF Commodore	95	+10.289	13	90
9	19	Will Davison	Tekno Autosports	Holden VF Commodore	95	+10.626	11	84
10	7	Todd Kelly	Nissan Motorsport	Nissan L33 Altima	95	+12.216	10	78
11	14	Tim Slade	Brad Jones Racing	Holden VF Commodore	95	+18.335	16	72
12	33	Garth Tander	Garry Rogers Motorsport	Holden VF Commodore	95	+19.859	19	69
13	34	James Moffat	Garry Rogers Motorsport	Holden VF Commodore	95	+23.269	14	66
14	02	Scott Pye	Walkinshaw Racing	Holden VF Commodore	95	+23.792	18	63
15	55	Chaz Mostert	Rod Nash Racing	Ford FG X Falcon	95	+24.026	9	60
16	21	Tim Blanchard	Tim Blanchard Racing	Holden VF Commodore	95	+26.800	21	57
17	78	Simona de Silvestro	Nissan Motorsport	Nissan L33 Altima	95	+29.601	17	54
18	17	Scott McLaughlin	DJR Team Penske	Ford FG X Falcon	95	+42.6241	1	51
19	3	Aaren Russell	Lucas Dumbrell Motorsport	Holden VF Commodore	95	+45.225	25	48
20	99	Dale Wood	Erebus Motorsport	Holden VF Commodore	94	+1 Lap	23	45
21	62	Taz Douglas	Lucas Dumbrell Motorsport	Holden VF Commodore	94	+1 Lap	26	42
22	56	Jason Bright	Britek Motorsport	Ford FG X Falcon	93	+2 Laps	20	39
23	6	Cam Waters	Prodrive Racing Australia	Ford FG X Falcon	92	+3 Laps	12	36
24	22	James Courtney	Walkinshaw Racing	Holden VF Commodore	91	+4 Laps	24	33
Ret	888	Craig Lowndes	Triple Eight Race Engineering	Holden VF Commodore	93	Accident	22
Ret	12	Fabian Coulthard	DJR Team Penske	Ford FG X Falcon	15	Driveshaft	8
Source:[10]

• ^1 Scott McLaughlin received a 25 second penalty for a driving infringement.

Standings after the event

Drivers Championship Pos Driver Pts Gap 1 Jamie Whincup 3042 2 Scott McLaughlin 3021 +21 3 Fabian Coulthard 2812 +230 4 Shane van Gisbergen 2769 +273 5 Chaz Mostert 2748 +294

Teams Championship Pos Team Pts Gap 1 DJR Team Penske 5868 2 Triple Eight Race Engineering (88, 97) 5811 +57 3 Prodrive Racing Australia 4416 +1452 4 Garry Rogers Motorsport 3711 +2157 5 Erebus Motorsport 3477 +2391

• Note: Only the top five positions are included for both sets of standings.