Sunrise host Matt Shirvington just gets pipped in wild man-versus-Supercar race
There has been high drama at Sydney Motorsport Park where Sunrise host and former Australian sprinter Matt Shirvington took on Supercar champion David Reynolds in a wild man-versus-machine race.
Team 18’s Reynolds is a Bathurst winner a few gave Shirvo, 46, little hope of competing against the race car capable of going from zero to 100 km/h in just over three seconds..
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Shirvo races Supercar.
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Sunrise stars Mark Beretta and Katie Brown watched on as Shirvo took his marks against the the 600-horsepower, 5.7 ltr V8 weapon.
And in the blink of an eye (did he jump the gun?), he was off.
Shirvo took an early lead in the 60m race but Reynolds and his car flew home.
As Shirvo threw out his arms to celebrate, the car was suddenly at the line too.
“Who won?” Brown asked Beretts. “Who do you believe won?”
Beretts: “Shirvo was in front but I think Dave Reynolds might have pipped him on the line. We need a super slo-mo replay to decide this one. That was incredible.”
Brown: “Can we get a replay? Can we get a replay?”
After the race, a puffed-out Shirvo admitted he was stunned by the sudden appearance of the car at the line.
“I honestly liked turned around and said, ‘Where he is he?’ and he was like ‘pow’,” he laughed.
Brown then asked Sunrise hosts David Woiwod and Nat Barr to show the replay.
“We have got two very competitive people here,” Brown said.
And Woiwod confirmed the result.
“The ruling has just come in from the stewards. I think he’s been pipped,” Woiwod said.
Beretts said it was “too close to call”.
“We’re waiting on the super slo-mo and a photofinish,” Beretts said.
Brown asked: “Is there a disqualification?”
Beretts: “There could be a rematch later in the year!.”
Woiwod said they were “happy to call it now”.
“The stewards have told us it is too close to call. So what are we doing? Is it a draw?”
Bereets: “It’s a draw. It’s a draw.”
But Brown didn’t like the call as confusion suddenly reigned.
“The car has won. That is incorrect,” Brown said.
But Shirvo was unhappy with Brown’s decision.
“What??? No!! No!!” he said, and then stormed off as Reynolds celebrated.
Woiwod: “He doesn’t like losing, does he?”
Barr: “This is what we were worried about.”
Reynolds admitted he got off to a bad start and hoped that would not happen this weekend Supercars championship season gets underway.
Shirvo then presented Reynolds with magnum of Shirvington shiraz and a trophy.
“I don’t care that I lost. My hamstrings and Achilles are intact. I can enjoy the weekend and watch the Supercars coming up tonight,” Shirvo said.
Woiwod said Shirvo was “very magnanimous in defeat and thought “the little glance at the camera on the line” cost him.
Watch Supercars live on Seven
The 2025 Supercars championship season gets underway this weekend at Sydney Motorsport Park, with Seven’s live-and-free coverage kicking off on Saturday.
Saturday, February 22
4.30pm AEDT live and free on Channel 7, 7mate and 7plus Sport
Sunday, February 22
1pm AEDT live and free on Channel 7, 7mate and 7plus Sport
Originally published on 7NEWS Sport
