Motorsport: Whincup increases lead

Jamie Whincup. Photo / Getty Images

Defending V8 Supercar motor racing champion Jamie Whincup extended his lead at the top of the points table today when he took out race one of the Hamilton 400.

Whincup, who last year won both races on the 3.4km street circuit when piloting driving a Ford, started from pole in his Holden.

He was passed by fellow Holden driver Garth Tander on lap seven of the 59-lap contest, but regained the lead after the first pit stop.

Whincup was looking comfortable with a 6sec cushion on lap 45, but that was wiped out when the safety car was called out.

However, the Victorian managed to stay in front of Tander to record his fifth victory in seven races this season.

Whincup also clocked a fastest lap of 1min 23.2780sec and was one of a host of drivers to eclipse his race record of 1:24.4701 set 12 months ago.

Third was James Courtney in the first Ford across the finish line.

The result meant Whincup and Tander remain the only drivers to have won in Hamilton since the New Zealand round of the championship was moved from Pukekohe in 2008.

Tander won all three races in Hamilton's debut year.

It was a disappointing day for New Zealand hopes, with Jason Richards the first home in 11th, while fellow Holden drivers Greg Murphy and Daniel Gaunt were the best of the rest in 18th and 19th respectively.

There was huge disappointment for Shane Van Gisbergen, who has had two podiums and three other top-six finishes this season and was third fastest in practice yesterday.

However, in a qualifying session this morning that was disrupted by two red flags, he was left back in 21st spot.

In the race itself, Van Gisbergen, 20, lasted less than half a lap.

He was got bumped in traffic on turn three and spun into a wall.

The damage to the front of his Ford ended his day.

The second and final race, also over 59 laps, is tomorrow.

- NZPA