Red Bulls drive through for the win

Jamie Whincup and Craig Lowndes have capitalised on others' misfortune in the second 100km race at the Coates Hire Ipswich 400.

With Volvo's Scott McLaughlin and Nissan's Michael Caruso leading from the front, the Norton Hornet began to close on the S60 - it looked as if another different winner for 2014 was on the cards.

But it wasn't to be, with Caruso diving at the final corner on lap 22, ploughing into McLaughlin and sending the Volvo spinning in a cloud of smoke.

Caruso was immediately dealt a drive-through penalty, and the Red Bulls were left to battle it out at the front, while McLaughlin fell down the order and eventually finished 19th.

From there, it was a tough fightonce again between the teammates, with Whincup holding off Lowndes, despite saying his car didn't have the pace.

"Really tough race. Got a bit of a sick engine, it kept dying on me, thankfully it kept going, and I think something broke in the back. No excuses... I feel like I got lucky in a way," Whincup said.

"Lowndesy was a bit quicker as well - we didn't do much between races which showed, everyone stepped up and we were struggling a bit but it's going to be on tomorrow."

Lowndes said anytime you can stand on the podium in V8 Supercars is important.

"I'm really delighted," he said. "Jamie had a fantastic race, we put a lot of pressure on him... That's the best I could do today.

"Tomorrow's a much bigger race."

Ford Pepsi Max Crew filled the final place on the podium - it wasn't the Championship leader, but Chaz Mostert, backing up his win here last year with a solid result.

"It's been a fantastic place for me, a win here last year and to get a third is fantastic. We really struggled in the first race," Mostert said.

"I didn't quite have the pace of red bull but hopefully tomorrow."

Completing the top 10 was Shane van Gisbergen, Rick Kelly, Winterbottom, Nick Percat, Garth Tander, Fabian Coulthard and James Courtney.

Click here for full results.

The Championship gap is now down to 48 points, with Winterbottom leading the way.

Lowndes has sprung up the table from sixth to third, overtaking Coulthard, with van Gisbergen ahead of Courtney and McLaughlin.

Mostert has also jumped a position, passing David Reynolds forninth.

Click here for full Championship points.

The final race of the Coates Hire Ipswich 400 runs tomorrow, with qualifying at 12.55pm AEST to determine the starting grid for the 200km race.