Motorsport: Whincup extends lead at Clipsal 500

Jamie Whincup driver of the #88 Team Vodafone Holden celebrates after winning race four of the Clipsal 500. Photo / Getty Images

Jamie Whincup's bid for a third V8 Supercar title in four years gained huge momentum with his win in the second race at the Clipsal 500 in Adelaide today.

Whincup backed up his second place to fellow Holden driver Garth Tander on Saturday in race one with a quality drive in ever-changing weather conditions.

The Team Vodafone driver beat home Holden's Rick Kelly and Ford's Mark Winterbottom.

Whincup has extended his championship lead to 144 points over Winterbottom following his win in Adelaide.

It was Whincup's fifth win in the past eight races held on the Adelaide street circuit, and his sixth Clipsal 500 race victory overall.

Defending series champion James Courtney improved markedly on a difficult Saturday, finishing fourth with Holden teammate Tander fifth.

With heavy rain falling to start the race, there were four lead changes inside the first half of the 77-lap event as polesitter Will Davison, Whincup, Courtney and Kelly all took turns at running at the front.

But as the rain dried out mid-race after a succession of safety car periods, Whincup gained the upper hand.

He took the lead from Kelly for the last time on lap 44, then created and maintained a healthy buffer to the finish - the race shortened by one lap because of time constraints.

Several crashes marred the early part of the race as rain made conditions difficult and hard to read for pit crews.

Team BOC driver Jason Bright ploughed into a fence head on.

And Holden's Lee Holdsworth had a white knuckle ride followed by a trip into a wall as his team unsuccessfully gambled with slick tyres in wet conditions which didn't dry out in time for them to take advantage.

The V8s race next weekend in the non-championship event at the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne.

The next round of the championship is in Hamilton, New Zealand, from April 15 to 17.

- AAP