Dunlop

V8 Supercar Results (Goodyear Dunlop Traction March 2010)

WHINCUP REIGNS SUPREME IN ABU DHABI
TeamVodafone’s Jamie Whincup has taken a clean sweep of the Yas V8 400, winning both 200km legs of the 2010 V8 Supercar Championship Series season opener at Abu Dhabi’s Yas Marina Circuit.

The reigning champion was virtually unchallenged over the second 43 lap race and went on to take the chequered flag four seconds ahead of Ford Performance Racing’s Mark Winterbottom who started from pole position.

TeamVodafone’s Commodores enjoyed the perfect debut and Whincup acknowledged his team had given him a rocketship.

“The car was bullet-proof, and we were sort of in control from the start,” Whincup said.

“I am almost in shock from what has panned out this weekend. Having a brand-new car, a brand-new circuit and to almost have a perfect weekend, well that’s good enough. It is just an amazing feeling.”

MIDDLE EAST REPEAT AT BAHRAIN
TeamVodafone’s Jamie Whincup continued his perfect record and perfect points haul in the 2010 V8 Supercar Championship Series, winning races three and four at the Gulf Air Desert 400.

Whincup held off the Ford Performance Racing’s Mark Winterbottom in the final race in the Middle East, who got the jump on Whincup at the start but finished second at Bahrain International Circuit.

The top three finishing positions replicated the Yas V8 400 results in Abu Dhabi the week prior, with Stone Brothers Racing’s Shane van Gisbergen finishing in third place.

Whincup described his battle with Winterbottom throughout the race as a dogfight and he believes it will continue.

“Frosty threw it at us and we were able to come away with it,” he said.

“We predicted they (FPR) would be strong all year, they’ve made a great start and it’s going to be a dogfight right until the end.”

TANDER WINS ON EMPTY AT CLIPSAL
In what will go down in history as one of the greatest V8 Supercar races ever, Toll Holden Racing’s Garth Tander won the second leg of the Clipsal 500 Adelaide in dramatic circumstances.

The 90,000 spectators held their collective breath as Tander – with very little fuel left in his tank – hung on to finish ahead of a charging James Courtney, and Ford Performance Racing’s Mark Winterbottom.

It was a race that had everything, including a brave fuel strategy, a controversial black flag, late rain and a broken kerb at the dangerous turn eight.

It all came down to the last 20 laps when a kerb at turn eight broke up causing a safety car period. The five ensuing laps under the safety car was the break Tander needed as he was unlikely to have made it to the end of the race with the fuel he had left in his tank under normal racing conditions.

When the race was re-started it created a sprint to the end with Tander tight on fuel, Whincup okay on fuel but struggling on old tyres and Courtney looking good on both fuel and tyres, while Winterbottom was also in the mix.

Light rain added spice to the action as it caused Tander to slip on a wet painted white line allowing Whincup momentarily into the lead, before the former took control again.

Then Courtney gave Whincup a nudge causing a piece of the #1 TeamVodafone Commodore to come loose. Whincup was subsequently black-flagged, but the part flew clear before he could head to the pits.

However, under racing rules once a black flag has been displayed it can’t be rescinded until the car returns to pitlane for an inspection.

Whincup (771 points) still holds the Championship lead, but Winterbottom (714 points) has closed the gap to just 57 points. The next round of the Series will be the QANTAS Australian F1GP at Melbourne from March 25-28.

Tags: Jamie Whincup, Mark Winterbottom, Yas Marina