Jamie Whincup has made it a clean sweep of the Middle East double header for Holden, winning Race 4 today at the Gulf Air Desert 400 in Bahrain.
The reigning V8 Supercar Champion’s stunning come-from-behind win in his TeamVodafone Commodore backs up yesterday’s victory and the two the previous weekend in Abu Dhabi
Whincup had to survive a poor start, an excursion off track, intense race pressure from rival Mark Winterbottom when his tyres went away late in the second stint, and a stall coming out of his pit box to take the win, his fourth from four races since switching to Holden.
Earlier in the day the two time series Champion also secured his third pole from four races that comprised the Middle East double header.
“Every win you have you have to work hard for, and while the others may have looked easy, today was tough,” Whincup said.
“We came over to the Middle East for the first time with Holden and won four from four, and took three poles, so I couldn’t be happier.
“Today wasn’t one of my best starts, but I fought back hard. We’re close to the limit, it’s hard for us to take a step forward and Frosty pushed us.”
Whincup’s win moves him past great Allan Moffat and into sixth outright on the Australian Touring Car/V8 Supercar Championship Series race winners list.
Jack Daniel’s Racing’s Rick Kelly was the next best Holden driver, finishing fourth in the #15 JDR Commodore, with Fujitsu Racing’s Lee Holdsworth and the Toll Holden Racing Team’s Will Davison following, Team BOC’s Jason Richards and Holdsworth team-mate Michael Caruso eighth and ninth respectively.
After qualifying inside the top 10, HRT’s Garth Tander’s race was virtually over at the first corner when he was hit and spun from behind, the 2007 series champion fighting back to be 14th just two laps from home when he was again hit, this time by Ford driver Steven Richards – the contact breaking the steering in the #2 Toll HRT Commodore and ending his race.
After two solid weeks in the Middle East, Holden’s teams now head home to begin preparations for the Clipsal 500 in Adelaide in just two weeks time – Whincup taking a commanding lead into the first event of the 2010 season on Australian soil.
2010 V8 Supercar Championship Series, Rd 2 – Gulf Air Desert 400 (Race 4)
1. Jamie Whincup, TeamVodafone Holden Commodore VE
2. Mark Winterbottom, Orrcon Steel FPR Falcon Ford Falcon FG
3. Shane Van Gisbergen, SP Tools Racing Ford Falcon FG
4. Rick Kelly, Jack Daniels Racing Holden Commodore VE
5. Lee Holdsworth, Fujitsu Racing / GRM Holden Commodore VE
6. Will Davison, Toll Holden Racing Team Holden Commodore VE
7. James Courtney, Jim Beam Racing Ford Falcon FG
8. Jason Richards, Team BOC Holden Commodore VE
9. Michael Caruso, Fujitsu Racing / GRM Holden Commodore VE
10. Paul Dumbrell, The Bottle-O Racing Team Ford Falcon FG
11. Steven Johnson, Jim Beam Racing Ford Falcon FG
12. Craig Lowndes, TeamVodafone Holden Commodore VE
13. Russell Ingall, Supercheap Auto Racing Holden Commodore VE
14. Jason Bargwanna, Rock Racing Holden Commodore VE
15. Steven Richards, Dunlop Super Dealer FPR Falcon Ford Falcon FG
16. Jonathon Webb, Dick Johnson Racing Ford Falcon FG
17. Alex Davison, Irwin Racing Ford Falcon FG
18. Tim Slade, Wilson Security Racing Ford Falcon FG
19. Tony D'Alberto, Centaur Racing Holden Commodore VE
20. Dean Fiore, Triple F Racing Ford Falcon FG
21. Tony Ricciardello, Supermax Racing Holden Commodore VE
22. Greg Murphy, Castrol Edge Racing Holden Commodore VE
23. Daniel Gaunt, Gulf Western Oil Racing Holden Commodore VE
24. Jason Bright, Trading Post Racing Holden Commodore VE
DNF Garth Tander, Toll Holden Racing Team Holden Commodore VE
DNF Fabian Coulthard, Bundaberg Red Racing Team Holden Commodore VE
DNF Karl Reindler, Fair Dinkum Sheds Racing Holden Commodore VE
DNF Andrew Thompson, Bundaberg Red Racing Team Holden Commodore VE
DNF Todd Kelly, Jack Daniels Racing Holden Commodore VE