Motorsport: Frosty fires up in Melbourne

Mark Winterbottom won two from two V8 Supercar manufacturers' challenge races. Photo / Getty Images

MELBOURNE - Mark Winterbottom made it two out of two for Ford in the V8 Supercar manufacturers' challenge at the Australian Grand Prix as series champion Jamie Whincup survived a frightening late race moment.

Ford Performance Racing's Winterbottom ambushed pole-sitter and race one winner Craig Lowndes off the grid and led throughout Saturday's 15-lap race to beat Holden's Will Davison and Ford's Lowndes.

But Whincup nearly came to grief at high speed as he duelled with fellow Ford driver Steven Johnson for fourth place.

Whincup found himself squeezed out on to the grass, the fence looming menacingly in what is a non-championship event.

The Team Vodafone driver managed to hold his car together, losing several places but keeping his Falcon undamaged, then fighting back to finish sixth.

- AAP