V8 Supercars' new generation of stars are on the rise, but it's the golden oldies who continue to reign supreme.
Young tyros Chaz Mostert and Scott McLaughlin left Perth beaming on Sunday after each scored round-five victories and the first for their respective new teams.
McLaughlin's race win on Saturday was Volvo's first since they last competed in the championship back in 1986, validating their status as a genuine contender.
Mostert followed that with line honours for Ford Performance Racing in Sunday's 200km battle, almost a year to the day he was promoted to the main game from the V8 development series.
The pair were both triumphant in their rookie campaigns last year and have proven to be real threats to the current frontrunners.
Each boast four podiums from the season's opening 16 races - and they're confident of tallying more.
"I've got a car that should be in the top five," said Mostert, the 10th different race winner of the season.
"If I'm not there, it's me letting the car down."
But it was teammate Mark Winterbottom and fellow veteran Craig Lowndes who emerged on top, steadying their charge towards the 2014 title with a weekend of solid results.
Winterbottom enjoyed two podium finishes and a fourth-placing to narrowly extend his championship lead over Lowndes to 110 points and reignite the old rivalry between the factory-backed Ford and Holden teams.
Lowndes, meanwhile, recovered from disappointing efforts in Auckland and Winton to clinch his first win in eight races on Saturday and finish runner-up behind Mostert in Sunday's closer.
"It gives the whole team a boost of confidence after a tough couple of rounds and it's encouraging for the boys in the workshop as we look forward to Darwin next month," the 39-year-old said.
His Red Bull Racing Australia (RBRA) stablemate Jamie Whincup also gained ground in his hunt for a record sixth V8 Supercars crown, jumping from sixth to fourth on the drivers' standings.
Less than 100 points now separates RBRA and FPR at the top of the teams leaderboard with 22 races still remaining.
Drivers have a five-week layoff before heading to the Top End for round six from June 20.
Share
