TeamVodafone's Jamie Whincup carried a passenger with him across 78 of the most scintillating race laps in a most heart-stopping finish at the Clipsal 500 in Adelaide.
Whincup’s father David passed away after a short battle with cancer just six days ago but he refused to let his professionalism or attitude wilt under the enormous emotional strain.
He rode with his dad and the Gods to win a classic race when best mate Will Davison ran out of fuel before the finish line in his Tradingpost FPR Falcon from Garth Tander (Holden Racing Team) whose fuel was so low he had to pit six laps from the end to top up.
‘We used all our cookies up today,” Whincup said.
“It was a very important race for me today and we threw everything at it. Although I will come out and battle tomorrow it was all about today for me.
“Anyone that understands motorsport knows you need everything to go right on the day to have a result like that and everything just turned my way. Will could have made it stupidly difficult for me at the end but clearly he was out of fuel.
“I never like to make bold statement but I believe that was the best race I have ever been involved in.”
Whincup’s team-mate Craig Lowndes had led and was looking strong before it all ended suddenly with an off-track excursion that allowed Davison, Tander and Mark Winterbottom to slide past. Whincup’s strategy to put on lap 15 and make three stops was still on with 15 laps to go.
Fuel was getting tight for the lead three which brought Whincup right into the picture. All the while Tander past Davison for the effective race lead given Whincup had to pit. He came in on lap 67 and the race was on.
Davison backed off to save fuel. Tander had to come in on lap 72 for a ‘splash and dash’.
“We gave it our best shot today. It’s a crazy game we play,” Davison said.
“I was driving into the corners hard and do nothing in the straight. I thought I had it in the bag and then I heard Whincup’s name and though there’s no way he can catch me, you are kidding. There was not much more I could do.
“I’m extremely happy for Jamie – a really great mate. My day will come.”
Whincup knew he was still a chance and went hard to make up time with several lap records in the final stint. He had to step up given he still had to stop.
The top 10 was made up of Lee Holdsworth, Fabian Coulthard, Rick Kelly, Todd Kelly, Mark Winterbottom (who elected to pit for fuel with just laps to go) and Steven Johnson.
There were 17 cars on the lead lap at the end of the 78 laps, however there are four teams who have damaged cars.
It took only five laps for the notorious turn eight, a 245km/h sweeping right-hander, which first claimed Holden Racing Team’s James Courtney who pelted in the wall after ‘something broke’.
“All of a sudden I had a snap in the rear and it was all over for me,” Courtney said. “The boys are going to see of they can put it back together. It was a big hit.”
He was followed by Championship newcomer Taz Douglas in the iSelect Commodore followed by Team BOC’s Jason Bright was next when both appeared to slip on oil or debris and fire into the fence.
Bright was taken to hospital for checks having complained of shoulder pain.
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