Whincup wins and bounces back to championship lead

Jamie Whincup turned around a poor first race yesterday to a perfect second race and a reclaimed championship lead today. The Holden driver secured Triple Eight’s eighth straight victory this season, with yesterday’s winner and team mate Craig Lowndes further confirming the domination in second place.

Whincup claimed the lead in the first corner from Lowndes, a lead he kept for the majority of the race. Lowndes had to fight with Mark Winterbottom instead.

Lowndes was able to get back in to second place after losing it to Winterbottom in the pits early in the race. Third for Winterbottom meant a lost the championship lead, by one point, that he got yesterday after Wincup’s puncture in the closing stages of the first race.

“It always comes down to a handful of points in the last race on the last day – it’s almost like it’s rigged! It’s always a dogfight and I think it will do it again. Whoever is going to be leading on the last lap of the last race is going to win it,” said Whincup.

Russell Ingall came home fourth ahead of Will Davison and Fabian Coulthard. David Reynolds and Jason Bright were the final drivers in the top eight.

Former Formula One world champion Jacques Villeneuve had a tough race, just as yesterday, and finished 26th, one lap behind the leaders.