V8 Supercars

Last Lap Swoop Extends Winterbottom’s Winning Run

2 Mins read
Winterbottom leads home a Ford 1-2-3 in Race 2 Photo credit: Ford Performance Racing

Winterbottom leads home a Ford 1-2-3 in Race 2 Photo credit: Ford Performance Racing

Mark Winterbottom has taken his second win of the day leading home a Ford 1-2-3 in Race 2 of the MSS Security V8 Supercars Challenge at Albert Park.

In a thrilling finish, the Orrcon Steel FPR driver snatched the lead from SP Tools Racing's Shane van Gisbergen on the final lap of 12 when the Kiwi slid wide at Turn 5.

Early leader and FPR team-mate Will Davison (Trading Post FPR) led 11 of the 12 laps, but finished third after pitting at the end of the penultimate lap for his mandatory stop.

“It is great for Ford to get a 1-2-3 today,” said Winterbottom.

“It was nice to race clean with Shane [van Gisbergen] at the end for the win and we were both right on the edge out of turn six.

“Will was the dark horse due to his strategy and overall it was just a great race and I am pleased that we've fixed so many of the issues we had here last year.

“Racing here is physically quite easy but when the first lap is as exciting as it was today it raises the temperature quickly. I drove well and used the strategy I had, though this weekend's format throws so many different options up so it gets interesting seeing how everyone interprets it.”

Garth Tander (Holden Racing Team) was the highest placed Holden in fourth, followed by TeamVodafone's Jamie Whincup. Whincup had taken the lead from Winterbottom at the start, heading 13 cars into the pit-lane at the end of the first lap, but a slow stop cost him several positions, and the chance of the race win.

Lee Holdsworth (Irwin Racing), Rick Kelly (Jack Daniels Racing), David Reynolds (The Bottle-O Racing Team), Todd Kelly (Jack Daniels Racing) and James Courtney (Holden Racing Team) rounded out the top 10.

Craig Lowndes (TeamVodafone) had been running second to Davison, but pitted on lap seven with mechanical problems and took no further part in the race. James Moffat (Team Norton DJR) joined Lowndes on the retirements' list three laps later after a punt by Jonathon Webb (Tekno Autosports) left him beached in the turn one gravel trap.

The V8 Supercars will return to the Albert Park circuit for Race 3 tomorrow.

Race 2 result:

1 Mark Winterbottom Orrcon Steel FPR Ford 12 24:34.7788
2 Shane Van Gisbergen SP Tools Racing 12 24:35.3700
3 Will Davison Trading Post FPR Ford 12 24:37.8987
4 Garth Tander Holden Racing Team 12 24:40.3523
5 Jamie Whincup TeamVodafone 12 24:43.6956
6 Lee Holdsworth Irwin Racing 12 24:47.6466
7 Rick Kelly Jack Daniel's Racing 12 24:48.6237
8 David Reynolds The Bottle-O Racing Team 12 24:53.9958
9 Todd Kelly Jack Daniel's Racing 12 24:54.5971
10 James Courtney Holden Racing Team 12 25:01.7176
11 Fabian Coulthard Lockwood Racing 12 25:06.1686
12 Greg Murphy Pepsi Max Crew 12 25:06.2815
13 Michael Caruso Fujitsu Racing GRM 12 25:09.6755
14 Steven Johnson Jim Beam Racing 12 25:11.8011
15 Tony D'Alberto Tony D'Alberto Racing 12 25:13.0273
16 Taz Douglas Team iSelect 12 25:13.1707
17 Michael Patrizi Tekno Autosports 12 25:13.6656
18 Karl Reindler Fair Dinkum Sheds Racing 12 25:14.0329
19 David Wall Wilson Security Racing 12 25:15.7309
20 Steve Owen V.I.P. Petfoods 12 25:16.1391
21 Jonathon Webb Tekno Autosports 12 25:17.4304
22 Dean Fiore Jim Beam Racing 12 25:19.8215
23 Alexandre Premat Fujitsu Racing GRM 12 25:21.1207
24 Russell Ingall Supercheap Auto Racing 12 25:28.1737
25 Jason Bright Team BOC 12 25:44.0025
26 Tim Slade Lucky 7 Racing 12 25:51.2480
DNF James Moffat Team Norton DJR 9 19:06.0683
DNF Craig Lowndes TeamVodafone 6 11:56.2416
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About author
Andy is our resident V8 Supercars reporter. He also runs the V8 Supercars fan site www.v8scglobal.com and works as a freelance motorsport writer (with experience in both the World and British Touring Car Championships). You can find him on Twitter at @andychampness or contact him via his website www.andychampness.co.uk
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