Motorsport: Plains sailing for Whincup as Kiwis fade from front

Jamie Whincup on the charge in Tassie. Photo / Getty Images

Jamie Whincup continued his ferocious run of Supercars form, claiming success in the opening race at Symmons Plains in Tasmania.

In a throwback result, Craig Lowndes and James Courtney joined him on the podium after Kiwi favourites Shane van Gisbergen and Scott McLaughlin faded from the front yesterday.

Tyre degradation dogged van Gisbergen as he dropped from pole to sixth, while an electrical fault impeded McLaughlin's top speed on his way to a ninth-place finish.

Seven-time champ Whincup had no such problems, scorching his way across the Tasmanian circuit.

He undercut van Gisbergen, the polesitter, with a sharper pit stop and was never challenged for the lead.

The result means Whincup hasn't missed the podium in five races since a rare DNF in Adelaide.

He's also won three of them, recovering lost points to re-join the title race.

Lowndes will also rejoice in his point-scoring podium finish since Sydney in 2016.

As it has been all weekend in Tasmania, race pace was ferocious.

Four drivers went below the previous race lap record, which is now held by Scott Pye after his 51.2622 second effort. Pye started seventh on the grid but failed to cash in after stalling during his pit stop.

David Reynolds continued his early-season momentum with fourth place, while Kiwi Fabian Coulthard was the biggest mover through the field, starting 11th but finishing fifth.

Commodores filled 11 of the top 13 places.