Whincup Rises To Tasmania Challenge

Jamie Whincup (Photo Credit: Team Vodafone)

Jamie Whincup has extended the gap at the top of the V8 Supercar Championship table with a dominant win in today’s opening race of the Falken Tasmania Challenge.

Finishing 8.7 seconds clear of TeamVodafone team-mate and nearest championship rival, Craig Lowndes, the series leader recorded his eighth win of the season and his 50^th championship victory to take a 155-point lead in
the series.

Starting from pole, Whincup was beaten off the line by Orrcon Steel FPR's Mark Winterbottom, but with Winterbottom suffering mid-corner understeer at turn six, just ten laps later, Whincup seized back the lead. From there on, he was never troubled, smashing the restart and assuming control of the race after a half-distance safety-car period when Greg Murphy's Pepsi Max Crew Holden lost its rear right wheel on lap 24.

“This is the start of the end, we wanted to come out strong and that’s exactly what’s happened. The car was fantastic and I couldn’t be happier,” said Whincup.

“Frosty got me at the start which was disappointing, but we fought on and both TeamVodafone cars were unbelievably strong today.

“Every race is unbelievably important from here on in and we need to keep doing a good solid job.”

While Whincup cruised to victory, teammate Lowndes spent much of the race battling with Shane Van Gisbergen, until a lock-up on lap 32 while pressuring Will Davison sent the SP Tools Racing Falcon tumbling back down the order.

Davison, who had jumped from fifth to second in the Trading Post FPR Falcon by taking just two tyres in his stop, held Lowndes at bay but lost position with just eight laps to go as Lowndes slipped through at turn six in an identical move to the one Whincup had pulled on Winterbottom earlier in the race.

Starting from 10th, Toll Holden Racing Team’s Garth Tander had made ground in the early stages and he snatched the final podium spot when Winterbottom ran deep at hairpin trying to pass his teammate Davison.

Winterbottom and Davison came home close together in fourth and fifth, while Irwin Racing's Alex Davison, Shane van Gisbergen, Bundaberg Racing's Fabian Coulthard, Fujitsu Racing GRM's Michael Caruso and Toll Holden Team Racing's James Courtney rounded out the top ten.

A longer 200km race takes place on Sunday after a fresh qualifying session in the morning.

Race 23 results: