Winterbottom wins close race two

Mark Winterbottom didn’t have it own way in the second race of the weekend in the Bigpond 400 at Barbagallo Raceway.
After leading the race from the start, Winterbottom made an early pit stop but did not re-take the lead until after all the compulsory pit stops had finished. And to confuse the tactitions, on lap 18 the heavens opened, wetting the track!

Garth Tander was the only driver to put up a challenge for lead of the race when he caught Winterbottom in the second half of the race with Tander not being able to pass the FPR Falcon.

“An excellent drive from Mark,” said FPR Team Principal Tim Edwards. “He just consistently maintained a solid pace to the finish. We were monitoring the weather and were confident it was only a light shower and wasn’t going to get heavy enough to change to wets so Mark did a great job in the intermediate conditions.”

Third and fourth places were taken by Vodafone team mates Jamie Whincup and Craig Lowndes. The Ford duo making a race of it swapping places throughout the 50 lap race.

Fifth place went to Rick Kelly, who just held off the fast charging Will Davison at the end.

Possible drive of the weekend went to James Courtney. After being penalised from the first race. Courtney started in 20th place, driving through the field to cross the line in seventh place.

Meanwhile Steven Richards also made a dramatic recovery after dropping to 27th and last place after contact with Mark Skaife early in the race. Richards made a storming drive to finish in eighth place.

Running side-by-side the pair touched wheels through the esses sending Skaife in the #2 Toll HRT Commodore sideways into the concrete safety wall.

While the five-time series and Bathurst champion emerged stiff but still ok from the impact the same could not be said for his car, the damage beyond repair for the weekend.