By Shaun Summerfield
A year ago, Jamie Whincup's hopes of a championship hat-trick were dashed on the streets of Sydney.
This time, he was taking no chances. This was easier said than done in a Supercar street race.
Paul Dumbrell, in his last ever race, had been running second. He collected Lee Holdsworth with just four laps to go.
That elevated Craig Lowndes into second, and New Zealand’s Shane van Gisbergen to third. But he too was almost collected moments later.
It was the second day running that the Giz got lucky on the closing laps while on his way to the podium.
And there was the fact he finished fourth in the championship, the best finish for a Kiwi in 7 years.
Mark Winterbottom won, with Lowndes second. But the victory was Whincup's, his 8th place enough to secure the series.
And to think rival team boss Gary Rogers said he would never make it.
3 News