Whincup ready for the great unknown

“IT is going to be on.”

With those words Jamie Whincup has set the scene for a pulsating race to the V8 championship finish line against Scott McLaughlin.

And although he leads McLaughlin by 30 points after winning in Auckland on Sunday, the Red Bull Holden Racing Team driver said neither he nor his DJR/ Team Penske rival would have an advantage on the virgin street circuit in Newcastle.

“We are all going in with a clean sheet,’’ said Whincup, who is chasing an unprecedented seventh Supercars title.

“No one has any data of the track or knowledge of it. We are just going there determined to do the best job we can.

“It is going to be on and it is going to be hard work for everyone involved.

“It will also be rewarding for the person that gets the ultimate prize.’’

Newcastle will host the Holden v Ford showdown on a new 2.6km street circuit that runs through the eastern end of the Newcastle CBD.

“It is a brand new circuit so you really don’t know who will be quick,’’ Whincup said.

“We are going to try and be up the front and we will scrap it out.’’

McLaughlin, the quickest one- lap man this year, conceded that Whincup outpaced him at the Auckland SuperSprint.

“I think we had better pace and than they turned it around and had better pace than us,’’ McLaughlin said.

“It has been tit- for- tat and that is what it has been like all year. I think that is quite cool and it has certainly kept everyone right on their toes.”