Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000 winner Mark ‘Frosty’ Winterbottom is the form man of the V8 Supercars Championship – The Ford driver has out-scored all other drivers across the Townsville, Queensland Raceway, Winton, Sandown and Bathurst events and taking 202 points away from title leader Jamie Whincup in the process. ‘Frosty’ looks like being in great form on the Gold Coast street track this weekend, having finished on the podium in seven of the last eight races at Surfers Paradise, including two wins.
Red Bull Triple Eight Holden’s Jamie Whincup holds a 114 point championship lead over teammate Craig Lowndes heading into the Armor All Gold Coast 600 and will rack up his 300th V8 Supercars Championship race start in Sunday’s race. The Red Bull Racing Australia driver has a brilliant record at ‘Surfers’, claiming three wins from the last five races, with he four time champion taking the last four pole positions in a row on the Gold Coast and was the top point-scorer for the last two Gold Coast 600 events.
Whincup and co-driver Paul Dumbrell also lead the race (576) by 42 points for the inaugural Pirtek Enduro Cup, which will be awarded for the first time to the driver pairing that scores the most points across the Sandown 500, Bathurst 1000 and Gold Coast 600 races. Red Bull team-mates Craig Lowndes and Warren Luff are placed second on 534 points.
Craig Lowndes also notches an important milestone on the Gold Coast, where he will make his 220th Australian Touring Car/V8 Supercars Championship event start equaling him with Mark Skaife for third on the all-time starts list behind Russell Ingall (230) and John Bowe (225).