Jason Bright wins as Jamie Whincup retires from the lead

Jason Bright won the first of four races at the Pukekohe Raceway in New Zealand. The Australian won the race comfortably in his Brad Jones Racing Holden Commodore as Jamie Whincup, who had taken the lead from second on the grid, went off the track with a power steering issue.

Triple Eight driver Whincup had leaped into the lead the race after a great start, but went off in turn one, falling behind Bright and was forced to pull into the pits to retire.

The race was shortened by two laps due to a safety car period caused by a clash between Dick Johnson Racing’s David Wall and Ford Performance Racing’s Chaz Mostert. The two drivers went side-by-side into turn ten, with Mostert hitting a kerb while on the inside and knocking Wall into a spin and into the wall. The Dick Johnson Racing driver is not going to be able to take part in the remaining three races of the weekend due to the massive damage to his Ford Falcon. Both drivers escaped unharmed.

Tekno Autosports’ Shane Van Gisbergen claimed second position in the race ahead of Triple Eight Race Engineering driver and championship leader Craig Lowndes in third, after Lowndes went wide at the end of lap one in the slippery conditions.

Holden Racing Team driver James Courtney, Erebus Mercedes driver Will Davison and Walkinshaw Racing’s Nick Percat occupied positions four to six.

Ford had no drivers in the top 10 positions. Their main hope Mark Winterbottom was in the top ten until the very end of the race when he made a mistake and spun at the hairpin, dropping down to 13th position.