New Zealand Supercars driver Scott McLaughlin has claimed his third straight championship title, giving him a special place in Australian motorsport history.
Scott McLaughlin has won a third straight Supercars championship title with one round remaining in the 2020 championship. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Only three other drivers - Ian Geoghegan, Mark Skaife and Jamie Whincup - have achieved the three-peat in the 60-year history of Australian touring car racing.
McLaughlin wrapped up the title after finishing in second place in the last race of the SuperSprint race weekend in South Australia on Sunday.
Earlier in the day McLaughlin won his 13th race of the season, adding to his win in Saturday's race.
The Ford superstar ended the penultimate race weekend of the disrupted championship season with enough of a points differential over seven-time champion Whincup to take the trophy.
Only a complete disaster at Bathurst next month - including a points penalty - could possibly deny McLaughlin the crown.
"It's been an awesome battle with Jamie throughout the whole year," McLaughlin said.
"It feels weird not being able to celebrate with the fans like normal.
"I got the main one now, we can fully focus on Bathurst and have a massive crack at it."
Whincup and his Red Bull Holden Racing Team had a difficult weekend at Tailem Bend.
"A big congrats to Scotty and his team for an amazing year," he said.
"We did everything we could to try and take it to Bathurst, but we just weren't quite quick enough and you've got to be consistent as well. We just weren't quite there."
After the completion of the Supercars rounds, McLaughlin's next challenge is IndyCar.
He will make his long-awaited IndyCar Series debut in the season finale on the streets of St. Petersburg in Florida in October.