Whincup triumph after SVG runs into trouble

JAMIE Whincup has raced to back-to-back Sandown 500 wins after he and Craig Lowndes prospered from laterace heartache for teammate Shane van Gisbergen in a dramatic day for the Red Bull Holden Racing Team.

On a day when Scott McLaughlin sealed his second Supercars championship after being slapped with another Bathurst 1000 penalty for an engine breach, Whincup and Lowndes claimed their second win of the endurance season after being reunited as a driver pairing this year.

Back together 10 years after they last combined, Whincup and Lowndes added to their victory at the Gold Coast 600 last round to continue a lateseason resurgence from the factory Holden team.

Whincup was on track for a podium behind van Gisbergen before trouble hit the New Zealander with 11 laps to go after he and co-driver Garth Tander had completed a stunning comeback from the back of the field.

Holding a comfortable lead over Whincup, smoke started to billow from the rear right wheel of van Gisbergen’s Commodore and he was forced into the pits for repairs, finishing in 17th place. The victory handed Whincup his fifth win at Sandown and Lowndes his sixth and also delivered the pair the Supercars enduro cup.

The Tickford Racing pairings of Chaz Mostert and James Moffat and Lee Holdsworth and Thomas Randle finished second and third.

Whincup said he felt for van Gisbergen, but was happy to take race victory.

“Commiserations to [car] 97, they did a great job today," Whincup said. “Big thanks to CL he has done an amazing job all season of endurance.”