Motorsport: Van Gisbergen wins with Red Bull Racing in Tasmania

Shane Van Gisbergen. Photo / Credit Edge Photographics

Shane Van Gisbergen has claimed a slice of motor racing history as Red Bull Racing continued its V8 Supercars dominance in Tasmania.

The New Zealander earned his first race win for his new team and Holden's 500th victory in the sport at the high-speed circuit at Symmons Plains near Launceston.

He challenged and passed senior Holden drivers Craig Lowndes and Jamie Whincup before holding on for his first win on the island state.

"It was a great race and 500 wins for Holden, an awesome stat," Van Gisbergen said.

Ford rival Mark Winterbottom, who started on pole, was unable to recover from a shocking pit stop when he overshot his stopping mark and finished ninth.

Van Gisbergen's decisive move between the two Red Bull Holdens of Lowndes and Whincup came on lap 18 when he snatched the lead on the hairpin turn.

Whincup, who began the race in seventh, finished second after a smart pit-stop strategy, with Lowndes missing the podium.

Will Davison finished third after overtaking Lowndes at 260km/h in the turn-five sweep from the hairpin to score his first podium in 11 months.

The Red Bull one-two continues three years of victories for the Roland Dane-managed outfit at Symmons Plains after Whincup and Lowndes shared the spoils in 2014 and 2015.

The pair also sit on top of the championship standings after the result, with Van Gisbergen leading Whincup by two points.

Scott McLaughlin wasn't able to take his place on the grid after his Volvo was reduced to seven cylinders in the warm-up.

The Kiwi began 10 laps after the field and placed last after a race characterised by dramatic passing but without a safety car.

- AAP