Kiwi Shane van Gisbergen has regained the 2022 Supercars championship lead with a spiteful victory in the opening race of three in Tasmania this weekend.
The defending champion battled away closest rivals Cam Waters and Will Davison throughout the journey, with no love lost between the three podium finishers.
Van Gisbergen and Waters collided around the Symmons Plains hairpin, and Waters gestured crudely to the Kiwi, when he finally passed for victory. Davison also passed polesitter Waters for second.
"What a great race," says van Gisbergen. "I was rubbing them up a bit, but that's what we're here to do.
"We need to be better tomorrow, but I'm super stoked."
Previous leader Chaz Mostert finished 23rd, after a late-race incident forced him to the pits for three laps, when he was battling for eighth.
The result sees van Gisbergen draw level with countryman Scott McLaughlin and Bathurst co-driver Garth Tander on 56 career wins, while also giving him a 17-point championship lead into the second race on Sunday.
