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McLaughlin eyes Supercars' Triple Crown

3 minute read

No Supercars driver has achieved the Triple Crown in Darwin but Ford's Scott McLaughlin is surely in the form to create history.

SCOTT MCLAUGHLIN driver of the #17 Shell V-Power Racing Team Ford Mustang celebrates after winning the Perth Supernight as part of the Supercars Championship at Barbagallo Raceway in Perth, Australia.
SCOTT MCLAUGHLIN driver of the #17 Shell V-Power Racing Team Ford Mustang celebrates after winning the Perth Supernight as part of the Supercars Championship at Barbagallo Raceway in Perth, Australia. Picture: Daniel Kalisz/Getty Images

The elusive Supercars Triple Crown in Darwin is firmly in Scott McLaughlin's sights.

Since its inception in 2006, no driver has claimed the prize of winning both races at the event and the top-10 shootout for pole position.

McLaughlin, however, is in the form of his life and looms as real threat to create history next month in the Northern Territory.

The DJR Team Penske star claimed another pole position and race win on Sunday at Winton to stretch his championship lead to a whopping 244 points over teammate Fabian Coulthard.

McLaughlin has 10 wins and nine poles from 14 races in 2019.

"It certainly is a cool thing and I'd love to win it for sure," the New Zealander said about the Darwin prize.

"There certainly is 24 others who want to win it just as much, as well as my teammate (Coulthard) next to me.

"I'm excited and I think we'll go there with a lot of confidence."

McLaughlin has surpassed the nine wins he claimed in the entirety of his championship season last year and Craig Lowndes' 1996 record of 16 wins in a year appears in real threat.

The 25-year-old says exorcising the demons last year from his 2017 title heartbreak had been a key factor in his 2019 dominance.

"Obviously, last year was a big burden off my shoulders," he said.

"I'm thinking about things a bit more and not worrying about what the consequences are.

"Now I'm being a bit more calculated. I'm understanding the situation I'm in a lot better. I think that definitely helps - that helps the results."

The Darwin Triple Crown will be held from June 14 to 16 at Hidden Valley Raceway.

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