Motorsport: Whincup rules Adelaide street circuit

Jamie Whincup had a second in race one in Adelaide and victory in race two to take the overall title. Photo / Getty Images

The relentless pace of V8 Supercars racing continued over the weekend with Jamie Whincup leaving the Clipsal 500, around the streets of Adelaide, with the lion's share of the points and the crown.

Whincup managed the changing conditions, the track, and himself the best to back up his second in race one on Saturday with a consummate performance yesterday, in the wet and dry conditions, to take the race win. Rick Kelly finished a creditable second with Mark Winterbottom coming home third.

"Second place was the story of most of our weekend. Second in qualifying yesterday [Saturday], second in the race and second in qualifying today [Sunday]," said Whincup. "Today's race was one of the toughest I've ever been involved in. In the changing conditions it was so easy to crash the car in the early stages.

"Will [Davidson] and I were going hammer and tongs to get track position."

Whincup leaves Adelaide with the round win,

Saturday's winner Garth Tander didn't carry any form into yesterday's qualifying. Throwing everything at trying to get a good time, Tander out drove himself leaving the track on a number of occasions to end up 13th on the grid.

With a different looking grid for race two, Davidson ended up on pole with Whincup in second with Mark Winterbottom, Lee Holdsworth and defending champion James Courtney behind them. Best of the Kiwis was a resurgent Greg Murphy in 12th.

The heavens opened half an hour before the V8s roared into action and all previous form over the weekend went out the window.

When the lights went out, Whincup was again left wanting and swallowed up by a number of cars. Once everyone had sorted themselves out and the tyres were up to temperature, Whincup made his move and eventually passed Davidson for the lead only to be re-passed again before the first pit stop.

"The team did a phenomenal job at the first stop. They changed the car and we were very, very fast after that," said Whincup. It didn't take long for him to reassert himself at the front of the field and a faultless drive ensured he took the win.

After the second set of pit stops, Craig Lowndes was released early from his pit bay into the path of Murphy, ending the TeamVodafone driver's chances of a good result. Murphy's hopes of a good race finish were also over shortly afterwards when he spun exiting turn nine.

Fabian Coulthard was again the best of the Kiwis climbing from 21st to finish ninth.

"The strategy worked for us again today and we came away with another top-10 finish and we're now fifth in the championship and not many points off fourth," said Coulthard.

Tander claimed his third consecutive Clipsal on Saturday after keeping Whincup at bay over the closing laps with teammate Craig Lowndes third.

Best placed Kiwi in race one was Coulthard who finished fifth after starting in 20th spot.

LEADERBOARD

* Jamie Whincup (Holden) 567pts
* Mark Winterbottom (Ford) 423
* Garth Tander (Holden) 363
* Alex Davidson (Ford) 348
* Fabian Coulthard (Holden) 345
* Craig Lowndes (Holden) 336
* Shane Van Gisbergen (Ford) 327
* Rick Kelly (Holden) 321
* Will Davison (Ford) 306
* Jason Bright (Holden) 294