Whincup out to pass Tander’s record
JAMIE Whincup says he still has everything to race for as he aims to add another record to his extensive resume at the Gold Coast 600.
The six-time V8 Supercars Championship winner may be out of contention for this year’s series but he can still put his name up the top of one list with a win on the Gold Coast. Whincup is currently just one win shy of Garth Tander’s record of seven Gold Coast 600 race wins and could even surpass it if he secures victory in both races this weekend.
The Holden driver and reigning V8 Supercars champion said having the chance to win and take on current series leader Mark Winterbottom provided all the motivation he needed for the final rounds.
“I’m looking forward to racing him (Winterbottom) hard until the end of the year,” Whincup said.
“Hopefully I can get a couple of wins because that’s what its all about – going out there and racing hard.”
Whincup already boasts the highest number of race wins at the Clipsal 500 Adelaide (5), Tasmania Super Sprint (11), Townsville 400 (7) and Sydney 500 (3). But Tander won’t freely give up his Gold Coast 600 mantle, with the fellow Holden driver determined to keep his place at the top.
Tander revealed that the record could become a focus at the back end of the Coast races.
“If it came down to a race between myself and Jamie then I guess you would start thinking about those sorts of things,” Tander said.
“It probably wouldn’t be front of mind but if it came down to me and Jamie battling it out for the win, you’d think ‘I’m not going to let this bugger catch up’.”
If it came down to me and Jamie ... you’d think ‘I’m not going to let this bugger
catch up’
GARTH TANDER