Shane van Gisbergen and co-driver Garth Tander have claimed a second Bathurst 1000 victory as a duo after surviving a frantic sprint finish in Holden's farewell appearance at Mount Panorama.
It was Van Gisbergen's second Bathurst 1000 title, while Tander adds a fifth to his tally.
The pair previously teamed up to win in 2020.
The win also sees Van Gisbergen break the single-season wins record with 19 and places him on the verge of a second-straight Supercars championship.
"It's special, I'm rapt," Van Gisbergen said, praising his team.
"To send Holden out like this is epic … [it's] a special way to send it out."
Chaz Mostert and Fabian Coulthard were second in their Holden Commodore, while Ford's Cam Waters and James Moffat finished third.
"When Chaz [Mostert] got into second I got a bit worried because we know how fast he is here," Van Gisberrgen said.
"But once the gap stayed at a second I knew we were OK."
'Absolute losers': Heimgartner rages after monster smash
The horrendous weather forecast did not come to pass, but there was plenty enough drama in the opening stages of a frantic race.
The 10th lap of the race was the first to be run without incident after two massive crashes marred the opening laps of racing.
A patch of standing water on the outside of turn one caused a multi-car pile-up on the very first lap to bring out the safety car for the first of its eight visits to the track.
When racing resumed on lap four, it did so for only half a lap before a monster shunt immediately removed three cars from the race.
Zane Goddard locked up at the bottom of the chase, went off the track and, when he returned to the track, slammed into Matt Campbell and Dale Wood.
Wood's lead driver Andre Heimgartner was furious in the garage, telling Fox Sports his rivals were driving like "absolute losers".
"It is like these people don't realise it is 161 laps," he said.
"Hopefully they get their shit together and we don't … ruin more cars."
New Zealand veteran Greg Murphy was even more blunt.
"What's everyone doing?" he said.
"Are they trying to win it in the first stint?
"No-one's learned … It's just madness, complete madness.
"You had to have eyes in the back of your head."
That huge shunt did appear to settle the field somewhat, but the safety car was still called upon on laps 17, 32, 41 and 57 before a merciful run of over 60 laps without incident.
Van Gisbergen/Tander rise to the top
By that time the running order had settled itself out and the pairing of Van Gisbergen and Tander, kings of the mountain in 2020, had established themselves at the front of the pack.
The pair led 110 of the 161 laps, managing each stoppage and restart and were only truly challenged in the final 15 laps after the final safety car stint.
Mostert and Waters both appeared to have the capability to challenge Van Gisbergen in the final stint.
Waters appeared to have the fastest car, having battled back twice in the race, from a poor start by Moffat and a spin by the co-driver later in the race.
He however was unable to maintain the pace of the two Holdens ahead of him, dropping back to leave it to a straight shootout between the pair of Commodores, who pushed each other to faster and faster times in an incredible climax to six hours and 41 minutes of racing.
"Shane, at the end of the race, how he can do that, just his focus and his ability to punch out laps like that, it's seriously impressive to watch," Tander said.
"It's an honour to be a part of it, the last ever Commodore here at Bathurst, that will sink in a bit later."
Look back on how the action unfolded in our live blog.
Key events
- Shane van Gisbergen wins Bathurst 1000
- 20 laps to go: SAFETY CAR! Will Davidson is in the wall at turn 2!
- Lap 119: Safety car!
- Lap 32: Safety car! Alex Davison is off track!
- 'No-one's learned ... it's just madness': Greg Murphy
- Lap 17: Another safety car
- 'Driving like absolute losers'
- BIG CRASH! ANOTHER SAFETY CAR!
- SAFETY CAR IS OUT ON LAP 1!
- The Bathurst 1000 line up, numerical order
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Live updates
By Simon Smale
Thanks for reading along
Well that was exciting, wasn't it.
Normally the Bathurst 1000 can be a bit of a slow burn but that burst into life very quickly and then kept simmering along nicely until that tension-filled final sprint to the line.
Thanks for being with us throughout the day, it's been a long one but thoroughly entertaining as a result.
We'll be back with another blog sometime soon I'm sure, but until then, enjoy the rest of your evening.
By Simon Smale
'Up the Holden': van Gisbergen
Garth Tander thanks the team and the supporters for sticking it out.
"Great team effort. Such a great car," he says.
"Thanks to all the fans for being here this year in the appalling weather
"Special thanks for all the Holden fans who have supported Holden over the entire journey.
"It's been fantastic to have you along for the ride and we hope you'll join us at Chevrolet next year."
Hmmm, a slightly subdued cheer for that...
Shane van Gisbergen now has the floor.
"To send the Holden out like this is epic, so up the Holden," he says to raucous cheers.
"A special way to send it out.
"A few more [races] to go so hopefully we can pic up a few more wins.
By Simon Smale
'You don't take a podium at Bathurst for granted': Coulthard
Fabian Coulthard says you can't ever take a podium at Bathurst for granted.
"It's a pleasure to be back up here," he says.
"Chaz did a top job.
"You don't take a podium at Bathurst for granted. We're still rapt."
Chaz Mostert says that he was glad he was "bulking" for this race and that the last few laps took it out of him,
"I burned a few pies off there," he says.
"I wish I could have got a bit closer to Giz there to set up a grandstand finish but I left it all out there"
I'm not sure how much closer he could have got in that thrilling finale to be honest.
By Simon Smale
'We'll get it one day': Cam Waters
Cameron Waters is speaking now on a third consecutive podium position at the great race following his consecutive second place finishes.
"It's awesome to come back from the day we had, we got turned around when Moff was in the car and it was just a battle from that point on," Waters says.
"We fought all day and threw everything at it and to get back to third ... it's been awesome.
"We'll get it one day."
Jame Moffat, who didn't have the best day, slipping down the ranks at the start and then spinning in his second stint, says the weather has been wild this week.
"This week the weather has thrown it all at us. Especially at the start of the race, it threw it all at us there.
"We'll come back next year and get them."
By Simon Smale
Full results
Here's the official list of results.
By Simon Smale
Van Gisbergen/Tander led for 110 laps
So glad he won. He's been leading all day...
- Natty
That's even more than the safety car.
Just.
By Simon Smale
Shane van Gisbergen says his engineer is 'epic'
Shane van Gisbergen has won 19 races this Supercars season, a new record.
It's his second Bathurst 1000 title.
"I just wanna go and do another skid, that was sick," he says, having shredded his tyres in celebration.
"I just can't thank the team enough.
"Garth was just on it this year
"[Race engineer] Andrew has been epic.
"When Chaz got into second I got a bit worried because we know how fast he is here, but once the gap stayed at a second I knew we were OK."
By Simon Smale
'It's an honour to be a part of it': Tander
Garth Tander is a five-time Bathurst winner.
Here's what he has to say.
"I don't really know what to say," he says.
"It's no words right now, I can't really believe it.
"Guys did such a great job.
"Shane at the end of the race, how he can do that, just his focus and his ability to punch out laps like that.
"It's seriously impressive to watch.
"It's an honour to be a part of it, the last ever Commodore here at Bathurst, that will sink in a bit later."
By Simon Smale
Shane van Gisbergen praises the fans
"That's pretty cool, but you're singling me out ... Garth, he won it too," van Gisbergen says.
"It's a team effort and it's a fan effort too.
"It's special, I'm rapt."
By Simon Smale
Red Bull praise 'faultless' performance
Andrew Edwards, the race engineer is almost speechless.
"I got nothing. I don't know where I am. It is crazy. I appreciate the team. I thank them for bringing me on and letting me have the experience. It was faultless by everyone today," he says.
"I've been doing this a long time and had a lot of heart ache here and to pull it off with the team and with Shane and Garth, they were amazing.
By Simon Smale
Van Gisbergen wins for Holden
The crowd applauded these two warriors all the way around the final lap.
There was no mistake at Forest Elbow this time for Shane van Gisbergen.
He pulled the lead out to over a second and that's where it remained.
His second Bathurst crown. His 73rd Supercars race win.
Chaz Mostert came second.
Cam Waters third.
By Simon Smale
Shane van Gisbergen wins Bathurst 1000
All hail Shane van Gisbergen!
Nobody has ever won more races in a Supercar season.
Nobody will ever win a Bathurst 1000 in a Holden again.
Shane van Gisbergen wins a thriller!
By Simon Smale
Final lap: Van Gisbergen slides at Forest Elbow again!
Shane van Gisbergen is going to win this, barring a disaster.
That disaster might come at Forest Elbow!
He slipped and slid once more, wheels screaming in protest.
His lead is now just 0.8 of a second from Chaz Mostert, who knows that he is running out of time.
By Simon Smale
2 laps to go: Gap just over a second
Van Gisbergen responds again!
It's only through the cutting where he is a little bit slower than Chaz Mostert.
But Mostert has suddenly dropped back. There must have been an error, however slight as to be almost imperceptible to us, but the clock does not lie.
1. #97 - Shane van Gisbergen/Garth Tander
2. #25 - Chaz Mostert/Fabian Coulthard +1.2
3. #6 - Cameron Waters/James Moffat +2.7
By Simon Smale
3 laps to go: Van Gisbergen on the limit
They are so close to each other.
Van Gisbergen just runs a fraction wide and now the gap is well under a second.
Just one mistake and that's what could cost either of these men the Bathurst 1000
1. #97 - Shane van Gisbergen/Garth Tander
2. #25 - Chaz Mostert/Fabian Coulthard +0.7
3. #6 - Cameron Waters/James Moffat +2.2
By Simon Smale
4 laps to go: Tit-for-tat at the front
The numbers these two leaders are putting together in this stint are extraordinary.
It's going to be between these two.
The gap on each lap is barely changing by a tenth through every sector.
1. #97 - Shane van Gisbergen/Garth Tander
2. #25 - Chaz Mostert/Fabian Coulthard +1.0
3. #6 - Cameron Waters/James Moffat +2.5
By Simon Smale
5 laps to go: Gap between 1st and 2nd is under a second
Mostert is getting the gap down to within a second again, but then van Gisbergen responds. Again.
This is racing of the highest quality.
1. #97 - Shane van Gisbergen/Garth Tander
2. #25 - Chaz Mostert/Fabian Coulthard +0.9
3. #6 - Cameron Waters/James Moffat +2.4
By Simon Smale
6 laps to go: Mostert closes the gap again
Mostert goes fastest on that lap, but there are just thousandths of a second in it.
1. #97 - Shane van Gisbergen/Garth Tander
2. #25 - Chaz Mostert/Fabian Coulthard +1.2
3. #6 - Cameron Waters/James Moffat +1.8
4. #99 - Brodie Kostecki/David Russell +3.1
5. #88 - Broc Feeney/Jamie Whincup +2.9
6. #10 - Lee Holdsworth/Matt Payne +0.8
By Simon Smale
7 laps to go
How big a moment was that at the start of the lap?
The gap between first and second is now 1.2 seconds.
Will it be one of these two who secures the final ever Holden victory on the mountain?
1. #97 - Shane van Gisbergen/Garth Tander
2. #25 - Chaz Mostert/Fabian Coulthard +1.2
3. #6 - Cameron Waters/James Moffat +1.7
4. #99 - Brodie Kostecki/David Russell +2.8
5. #88 - Broc Feeney/Jamie Whincup +2.5
6. #10 - Lee Holdsworth/Matt Payne +0.8
By Simon Smale
8 laps to go: Big moment for Mostert!
Cam Waters is drifting back.
It's between Shane van Gisbergen and Chaz Mostert.
MOSTERT SLIDES!
Oh my word, he was so lucky there to keep that on the tarmac.
That's the margin of error we're dealing with.
It's so tight, they have to be so precise.
The pressure they're under is extraordinary.
