Holden's Shane van Gisbergen has extended his stellar run in South Australia, whittling away at Scott McLaughlin's Supercars series lead by claiming the maiden The Bend SuperSprint's opening race on Saturday.
Van Gisbergen won the 120km race at Supercars' new $110 million facility at Tailem Bend, an hour outside Adelaide, with ease.
He was more than six seconds clear of Nissan duo Rick Kelly and Michael Caruso in front of 15,700 fans.
Remarkably, it was van Gisbergen's fifth straight victory in South Australia.
The Kiwi has won the last four races at the season-opening Adelaide 500 and has now added The Bend to his tally of SA scalps.