Photo: PSP Images

Jamie Whincup takes commanding win in final Gold Coast race

Jamie Whincup claimed his 101st V8 Supercars victory in the final race of the Gold Coast weekend in commanding style with co-driver Paul Dumbrell.

“I was a co-driver today, PD’s 60 laps at the start set the race up and I continued on with it,” said Whincup to supercars.com.au.

Triple Eight Race Engineering team-mate Shane van Gisbergen was just as yesterday strong on pace, but received several track limit warnings, meaning that he got delayed in the process of going up through the field.

Van Gisbergen finished second, but more than nine seconds behind his team-mate and title rival Whincup.

Scott McLaughlin secured his second podium finish of the weekend for Volvo by finishing third after, among others, a wild passing manoeuvre on reigning champion Mark Winterbottom with all four wheels locked, but still managed to get past.

Craig Lowndes gained fast on the Volvo driver towards the very end of the race, but was unable to get past and had to settle for fourth position ahead of the Prodrive Racing Australia duo of Winterbottom and Chaz Mostert.

The race had one safety car intermission as Jack Perkins and Richie Stanaway collided.

Erebus Motorsport had a tough day as team-mates Craig Baird and Aaren Russell came together, with Russell retiring and Baird given a penalty.

CS Racing’s Lee Holdsworth and Brad Jones Racing driver Tim Slade rounded out the top eight, around 25 seconds from race-winner Whincup.

Van Gisbergen still leads the championship, 148 points ahead of Whincup and 385 points ahead of Lowndes in third.