Whincup wins Gold Coast V8s

20 Oct 2012, 5:36 pm   -   Source: AAP
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Holden's Jamie Whincup has extended his grip on the 2012 championship. (AAP)

Holden's Jamie Whincup has extended his grip on the 2012 championship. (AAP)

Holden's Jamie Whincup survived a day of V8 Supercars destruction on the streets of Surfers Paradise to extend his grip on the 2012 championship.
 

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Holden's Jamie Whincup survived a day of V8 Supercars destruction on the streets of Surfers Paradise to extend his grip on the 2012 championship.

Whincup and French co-driver Sebastien Bourdais claimed victory in Saturday's opening race of the Gold Coast 600 after several competitors didn't even complete one lap of the 3.96km street circuit.

The race took three starts to get underway after multi-car crashes on the line twice brought proceedings to a spectacular halt.

In the original race start, IndyCar driver James Hinchcliffe bogged Michael Caruso's No.33 Commodore, sparking a multi-car pile-up.

Ex-Formula One driver Vitantonio Liuzzi and Simon Pagenaud collided before young American driver Ricky Taylor was launched onto his roof and wound up upside-down just past the start line.

After a half-hour delay, chaos reigned again at the restart with France's Nicholas Minassian stalling and his compatriot Franck Montagny clipping him to again halt the race.

With six cars out, the race begun for a third time and, this time, got away cleanly with Bourdais pulling away from pole position.

The Frenchman handed over to Whincup and the defending champion stayed clear of trouble to take the win from a fast-finishing Jonathan Webb.

Ford driver Mark Winterbottom, who is paired with Australian IndyCar star Will Power this weekend, finished third to move back into equal-second on the championship standings.

Whincup's teammate Craig Lowndes endured a tough day, starting from 13th after missing the top 10 shootout for pole and then finishing back in sixth to dent his title bid.

Ford star Will Davison's championship bid has almost certainly come to an end however.

The Ford pilot took over from ex-Formula One pilot Mika Salo with the Finn having put their Falcon in front but less than a lap after taking over, Davison had hit a wall at turn 11.

He limped the stricken car home to the pits but finished 19th and, after a barnstorming start to the year, is all but mathematically out of the title race.


 

Jamie Whincup , V8 Supercars

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