News

Shane van Gisbergen has taken victory in the opening race of the final round of the Battery World Aussie Racing Cars Supercar Series at Highlands Motorsport Park in New Zealand.

The champion Kiwi was too good for his rivals during the race distance, but the story may have been different if not for a red flag after a start line incident.

Rookie Cup contender Nathan Williams stalled at the start of what was originally stated for eight laps, but was hit from the behind by Steve Jakic in the Black Diamond Building and Construction entry.

Meanwhile, CoolDrive/Perenso Racing's Josh Anderson made the best of the starts and led van Gisbergen into Turn 1, but the race was red flagged before the field made it to the carousel.

At the restart, van Gisbergen made no mistake and led from start to finish, fending off a mid-race lunge from Cody Brewzynski in the Shell Rimula Topgun Race Team Mustang at the bowl.

Brewzynski finished second ahead of Anderson, series leader Osborn's Transport driver Joel Heinrich and Brandon Madden for Riskie Racing, who was first of the Rookie Cup drivers home.

Action Line Marking's Scott Dornan was the best placed Gold Cup driver, while Kent Quinn in the second Norganic Proteins entry continued his strong form in the Masters Cup.

Race 2 will be held at 1:35pm local time. The second and third races today will be broadcast live on Foxtel and Kayo in Australia and Sky Sport in New Zealand.