Virgin Australia LASTCAR Championship: 2021

Saturday 4 December 2021

Steering dramas leaves Pye and Golding last at Bathurst

Original by Supercars, edited by me.

Scott Pye picked up the 12th last-place finish of his career, while James Golding picked up the 2nd last-place finish of his career when their #20 DeWalt Holden retired with power steering dramas after 6 of the race's 161 laps. The finish came in Pye's 278th start and Golding's 75th start.

Scott Pye is in his 9th full-time season in the main game, while Golding spent 2 full-time seasons, but has three part-time seasons in addition. They were 16th in Practice 1 and stayed 16th in Practice 2. They rose slightly to 15th in Practice 3 and stayed 15th in Practice 4. They skyrocketed to 2nd in Practice 5, then plunged to 17th in Practice 6. They then rose to 13th in Qualifying.

Garry Jacobson and Dylan O'Keefe in the #22 Muscle Car Warehouse/PremAir Hire Holden started the race in the rear, but immediately David Wall, co-driver of Jack Smith, in the #4 SCT Logistics Holden fell to last.

End of Lap 2 saw James Golding, co-drive to Scott Pye, in the #20 De Walt/Nulon Holden went off at the chase, then pitted and fell to last with a Power Steering issue, dropping to last, losing 22 laps in repairs, but continued in and out of the garage, retiring on Lap 32.

Jack Perkins, co-driver to Will Brown in the #9 Shaw and Partners/WD-40 Holden blew their Power Steering on lap 29, dropping 14 laps in repairs. Next out was Jaden Ojeda, teammate to Zane Goddard in the #35 Yellow Cover Holden, after crashing at Skyline on lap 113, triggering the third safety car of the race.

Following Ojeda out was Anton De Pasquale in the #11 Shell V-Power Ford, stalling on the track with a Transmission failure, triggering the fifth Safety Car of the race.

Following Anton out was Broc Feeney in the #39 Supercheap Auto Holden crashed hard at Reed Park on lap 143, triggering the sixth Safety Car of the race. The final retirement of the race was Andre Heimgartner and Matt Campbell in the #7 NED Ford, who ran out of fuel on the final lap.

The Bottom Five

Scott Pye/James Golding	6 Laps	Steering
Zane Goddard/Jaden Ojeda	112 Laps	Crash
Anton De Pasquale/Tony D/Alberto	139 Laps	Transmission
Broc Feeney/Russel Ingall	142 Laps	Crash
Andre Heimgartner/Matt Campbell	159 Laps	Out of Fuel

Saturday 20 November 2021

Engine failure leaves Jones last, and after rain-out, Champion at Sydney Motorsport Park

Original by Fox Sports, edited by me

Macauley Jones picked up the 9th last-place finish of his career when his #96 Coca-Cola Holden retired with Engine failure after 5 of the race's 64 laps. The finish came in Jones' 109th start and puts Jones two last-place finishes out in front with 2 races to go.

Macauley Jones has one had on the 2021 Last-Place championship, with 2 races left only Garry Jacobson and Andre Heimgartner can take the title from Macauley Jones.

Macauley Jones is in his 3rd full-time season. He was 16th in Practice 1 but slid to 23rd in Practice 2. He then rose to 21st in Qualifying.

Fabian Coulthard in the #19 Local Legends Holden started the race in the rear, but quickly Ander Heimgartner in the #7 NED Ford fell to the rear. but he passed Jake Kostecki in the #34 UNIT Holden.

Lap 7 saw Macauley Jones in the #96 Coca-Cola Holden suffer Engine failure, triggering the first safety car of the race and dropping Macca to last.

Rounding out the Bottom Five was Bryce Fullwood in the #2 Middy's Electrical Holden after destroying his Super Soft tires, Garry Jacobson in the #22 Premair Hire Holden, Fabian Coulthard in the #19 Local Legends Holden after a pit-lane penalty for incorrect use of tires and Hames Courtney in the #44 Boost Mobile Holden.

Update: With the last race at Sydney Motorsport Park rained out, Macauley Jones takes out the 2021 Virgin Australia LASTCAR championship.

The Bottom Five

Macauley Jones	5 Laps	Engine
Bryce Fullwood	64 Laps	Running
Garry Jacobson	64 Laps	Running
Fabian Coulthard	64 Laps	Running
James Courtney	64 Laps	Running

Driver’s Championship

Driver	Car No.	Last	Bottom 3	Bottom 5
Macauley Jones (CHAMPION)	96	5	7	10
Garry Jacobson	22	3	8	15
Andre Heimgartner	7	3	5	6
Anton De Pasquale	11	3	4	5
Jack Smith	4	2	7	14
Zane Goddard	35	2	4	9
James Courtney	44	2	4	6
Bryce Fullwood	2	2	3	5
Fabian Coulthard	19	1	9	17
Jake Kostecki	35	1	6	9
Todd Hazelwood	14	1	4	4
David Reynolds	26	1	3	5
Nick Percat	8	1	2	3
Chaz Mostert	25	1	2	2
Will Brown	9	1	2	2
Scott Pye	20	0	3	4
Brodie Kostecki	88	0	3	4
Luke Youlden	26	0	3	3
Cameron Waters	6	0	2	3
Mark Winterbottom	18	0	1	3
Tim Slade	3	0	1	4
Thomas Randle	55	0	1	2
Kurt Kostecki	27	0	1	2
Will Davison	17	0	1	1
Jamie Whincup	88	0	1	1
Jack LeBrocq	5	0	0	5
Shane Van Gisbergen	97	0	0	1

Team’s Championship

Team	No. Cars	Last	Bottom 3	Bottom 5
Brad Jones Racing (CHAMPIONS)	4	9/4	20/4	30/4
Team Sydney	2	4/2	17/2	31/2
Matt Stone Racing	2	3/2	7/2	13/2
Dick Johnson Racing	2	3/2	5/2	6/2
Kelly Grove Racing	3	3/3	11/3	13/3
Walkinshaw Andretti United	3	3/3	7/3	9/3
Tickford Racing	4	2/4	8/4	15/4
Erebus Racing	2	1/2	4/2	5/2
Irwin Racing	2	0	3/2	7/2
Tim Blanchard Racing	1	0	1	4
Red Bull Racing	2	0	1/2	2/2

Manufacturer’s Championship

Manufacturer	No. Cars	Last	Bottom 3	Bottom 5
Holden (CHAMPIONS)	17	19/17	62/17	105/17
Ford	9	10/9	26/9	40/9

Saturday 13 November 2021

Race behind Jones heats up after Heimgartner finishes last at Sydney

Original by stuff.co.nz, edited by me.

Andre Heimgartner picked up the 8th last-place finish of his career when his #7 NED Ford finished under power, on the lead lap in the final race of the third round at Sydney Motorsport Park. The finish came in Heimgartner's 179th start.

Andre Heimgartner is in his 6th full-time season in Supercars and won his first race this year. He was 10th in Practice 1, then slid to 16th in Practice 2. He plunged further to 22nd in Qualifying.

Fabian Coulthard in the #19 Local Legends Holden started the race in the rear, but immediately Luke Youlden in the #26 Penrite Oils Ford fell to last. Lap 6 saw Andre Heimgartner in the #7 NED Ford fall to the rear.

Lap 9 saw Jake Kostecki in the #34 UNIT Holden plummet to the rear after being turned around by Tim Slade in the #3 Cooldrive Distribution Holden.

Bryce Fullwood in the #2 Middy's Electrical Holden pitted on lap 10 and dropped to last. He was followed by Zane Goddard in the #35 Yellow Cover Holden. This was followed by Jack Smith in the #4 SCT Logistics Holden on lap 12. This was followed by Luke Youlden in the #26 Penrite Oils Holden, who pitted on Lap 14 and fell to last. Then Lap 15 saw Fabian Coulthard in the #19 Local Legends Holden pit and fall to last. Lap 19 saw Jake Kostecki in the #34 UNIT Holden pitted and fell to the rear. Lap 20 saw Andre Heimgartner in the #7 NED Ford pit, and take a 5 second time penalty, dropping to last.

Tim Slade in the #3 Cooldrive Distribution Holden pitted and served his 15 second time penalty, on lap 22, which dropped him to last. Slade dropped Heimgartner to last on Lap 28. Heimgartner held it for the rest of the race.

Rounding out the Bottom Five was Fabian Coulthard in the #19 Local Legends Holden, Luke Youlden in the #26 Penrite Oils Holden, Jack Smith in the #4 SCT Logistics Holden and Tim Slade in the #3 Cooldrive Distribution Ford after a 15-second time penalty for spinning out Jack Smith.

The Bottom Five

Andre Heimgartner	32 Laps	Running
Fabian Coulthard	32 Laps	Running
Luke Youlden	32 Laps	Running
Jack Smith	32 Laps	Running
Tim Slade	32 Laps	Running

Driver’s Championship

Driver	Car No.	Last	Bottom 3	Bottom 5
Macauley Jones	96	4	6	9
Garry Jacobson	22	3	7	14
Andre Heimgartner	7	3	5	6
Anton De Pasquale	11	3	4	5
Jack Smith	4	2	7	14
Zane Goddard	35	2	4	9
James Courtney	44	2	4	5
Bryce Fullwood	2	2	2	4
Fabian Coulthard	19	1	9	16
Jake Kostecki	35	1	6	9
Todd Hazelwood	14	1	4	4
David Reynolds	26	1	3	5
Nick Percat	8	1	2	3
Chaz Mostert	25	1	2	2
Will Brown	9	1	2	2
Scott Pye	20	0	3	4
Brodie Kostecki	88	0	3	4
Luke Youlden	26	0	3	3
Cameron Waters	6	0	2	3
Mark Winterbottom	18	0	1	3
Tim Slade	3	0	1	4
Thomas Randle	55	0	1	2
Kurt Kostecki	27	0	1	2
Will Davison	17	0	1	1
Jamie Whincup	88	0	1	1
Jack LeBrocq	5	0	0	5
Shane Van Gisbergen	97	0	0	1

Team’s Championship

Team	No. Cars	Last	Bottom 3	Bottom 5
Team Sydney	2	4/2	16/2	29/2
Brad Jones Racing	4	8/4	19/4	29/4
Matt Stone Racing	2	3/2	7/2	13/2
Dick Johnson Racing	2	3/2	5/2	6/2
Kelly Grove Racing	3	3/3	11/3	13/3
Walkinshaw Andretti United	3	3/3	6/3	8/3
Tickford Racing	4	2/4	8/4	14/4
Erebus Racing	2	1/2	4/2	5/2
Irwin Racing	2	0	3/2	7/2
Tim Blanchard Racing	1	0	1	4
Red Bull Racing	2	0	1/2	2/2

Manufacturer’s Championship

Manufacturer	No. Cars	Last	Bottom 3	Bottom 5
Holden	17	18/17	59/17	101/17
Ford	9	10/9	26/9	39/9

How Juniorgeneric defines a Last-Place finisher

Australian V8 LASTCAR'S Official Definition of a "Last-Place Finisher" (LPF)

For the purposes of the Australian V8 LASTCAR championship rankings and statistics, a "Last-Place Finisher" (LPF) is a driver(s) who, after qualifying for a V8 Supercars Championship Points-Paying race, the result must be confirmed from official sources, or unofficial sources failing that. Only one driver (or two in a endurance race) can be classified as the LPF for that race.

Meeting those requirements, the LPF can be any driver classified as such for any reason, including, but not limited to.
1) A "did not start" although it should be noted that there is a difference between my definition of "did not start" and Brock Beard's definition of "Did not Start".
For example, in Bathurst 2015 Chazz Mostert and Cameron Waters' #6 Pepsi Max Ford had a huge accident during practice that injured Mostert and all but wrote off the car. Car #6 was withdrawn, and therefore I don't count Mostert and Waters as finishing last. Under Brock Beard's definition, however, Mostert and Waters would have finished last instead of David Wall and Chris Pither.
2) An entrant who encounters an event once the race has started which prevents the driver(s) from finishing ahead of any other qualified entrants, including both DNFs and drivers who finish under power but laps down*

*Only when all the cars in the race are running ahead of the LPF

3) A decision to “start and park” the driver’s entry (Extremely rare in V8 Supercars)
(4) a disqualification handed down by V8 Supercars and/or track officials that subsequently classifies the driver(s) in the final position behind the unofficial LPF.

Australian V8 LASTCAR shall not consider the LPF as anything else, including but not limited too
1) Any DNQ's
2) Any driver's who's car withdrew before the race start.
3)The lowest-ranked driver who finishes the race under power (unless all cars finished under power, actually quite common in V8 Supercars)
4) A driver(s) who finished last initially, however post-race disqualifications usurped the spot.
5) A driver(s) who may be catagorised as finishing last for exhibition events (I may bring these back at some point in the near future, I need more accurate numbers for the events before I start them up again)
6) Anything in non-V8 Supercar Main game (again, insufficent historical data)
7) A driver who was running last when the checkered flag fell, however because they greeted the checkered flag but a drive who was in front of them at the end of the race, however was not running at the end of the race. In that instance the driver who doesn't finish the race will fall behind the driver whom is still running at the end of the race.

In the rare event where official results or a preponderance of unofficial results are later updated with more accurate information about who was the LPF for that event, Australian V8 LASTCAR rankings and statistics shall be updated to reflect that change.