McLaughlin: Bathurst win most satisfying of career

Scott McLaughlin says his Bathurst victory remains the most satisfying of his career to date, amid his rise as an IndyCar title contender.

In just three years, McLaughlin has adapted from touring car star to open wheel ace, and recently broke through to win his first race on an oval in Iowa.

It came just weeks after the three-time Supercars champion rewrote the record books with a stunning pole run at the Indianapolis 500.

McLaughlin said his breakthrough Bathurst victory in 2019, taken in dramatic and controversial circumstances after a last-lap battle with Shane van Gisbergen, was catalyst for Roger Penske to bring the Kiwi to the States to pursue IndyCar.

As a consequence, McLaughlin — who won 56 Supercars races and six IndyCar wins — regards Bathurst as his most satisfying so far.

“It’s hard to go past Bathurst,” McLaughlin told Motorsport.com.

“For me, that really set up my career here. You know, I got out of the car and the first thing that Roger said to me was, ‘Alright, time for America.’

“Yeah, that set me up, right.”

In the interview, McLaughlin also weighs in on the differences between wins in IndyCar in Supercars, with the 31-year-old hailing his maiden IndyCar win as his next most satisfying victory.

After a rollercoaster rookie season in 2021, McLaughlin took out the 2022 season-opener on the famous St. Petersburg streets. He has since taken wins at Mid-Ohio, Portland, Alabama and Iowa.

“Probably, a very close second is my first win at St. Petersburg,” he adds.

“That was a good one. I had light traffic and Alex [Palou], the reigning champion, breathing down my neck, that was a bit of my arrival sort of moment, especially after the year I had previously.”

McLaughlin is sixth in the championship, 83 points behind leader Palou, heading to the next round at World Wide Technology Raceway on August 17.

The 2024 Repco Supercars Championship will resume at the NED Whisky Tasmania SuperSprint on August 16-18. Tickets for the event are on sale now. Live coverage can be found on Foxtel, with live streaming available on Kayo. Highlights will be shown on the Seven Network and 7plus. International viewers can follow all the action on Superview.

This year's Repco Bathurst 1000 will be held on October 10-13. Tickets are on sale now.