Controversy and Coulthard reign supreme at Clipsal 500

Fabian Coulthard stands atop the points standings after day 1 of the Clipsal 500. Photo / Supplied

Kiwi Fabian Coulthard has ended the opening day of the 2015 V8 Supercar championship leading the points standings, following a podium and a win in a chaotic day of racing in Adelaide.

The day began with reigning V8 Supercar champion Jamie Whincup winning race one, having almost lead from start to finish apart from a handful of laps during the pit-stop cycle. Coulthard came home in third, behind young Prodrive Racing Australia driver Chaz Mostert.

Whincup looked likely to win two races from two, having spent most of the race poised ahead of his main rivals. However, a late race mistake at the turn nine hair-pin and then a puncture let Coulthard take over the lead - a position he would build upon and hold until the chequered flag.

James Courtney and Craig Lowndes completed the race two podium.

"To come home with a third in the first race and a race win in the afternoon was awesome," said Coulthard.

"That's not a bad stat - but it'd be a lot nicer [to be leading] in December!"

It was a mixed day otherwise for the Kiwi contingent, with controversy surrounding Polestar Volvo driver Scott McLaughlin in both races.

A suspected oil-pump fire on the pace-lap triggered a small explosion in McLaughlin's Volvo prior to the race one starting. This prompted the Polestar squad to replace the engine of the Volvo for race two.

Starting second in race two, McLaughlin looked to have made a good start - leading the field by over a second after lap one. However, replays of the race start showed that the young gun had jumped the start. Race control subsequently issued McLaughlin with a ten second pit-lane penalty.

McLaughlin's crew decided to pit the youngster late, during a caution period for the heavily damaged Nissan of Michael Caruso - electing to also use the time to swallow the ten second penalty. However, race stewards deemed the penalty to be void since it was taken during a caution period. McLaughlin ended up 10th as a result. After the race, McLaughlin declared that he thought his team's actions were "fair and square."

"We stopped - obviously I'm biased - but we stopped and did our penalty [during the caution]," said a restrained McLaughlin.

"I took a penalty, and went back to like 8th and worked my way back forward. But that's the rules."

Fellow Kiwi's Shane van Gisbergen and Andre Heimgartner had indifferent days. Shane van Gisbergen finished the day 9th in the series standings, Heimgartner 23rd after a race one clash with Dale Wood lost the rookie numerous positions.

The third and final race starts at 5.15pm New Zealand time tomorrow afternoon.