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Lowndes misses podium

17 Sep 2014
But shoots up to second in the Championship, begging the question - will it be another Red Bull one-two come December?
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It was edge of the seat stuff as Craig Lowndes tried to catch and pass Garth Tander in the closing laps of the Wilson Security Sandown 500.

But while the Red Bull fan favourite couldn't manage a podium finish at the weekend, just 0.464 seconds behind Tander, he did claw his way to second in the Championship with the strong haul of points.

Lowndes said that while he could stay with the Holden Racing Team Commodore through those final laps he had to bank on an unusual error from the 2007 V8 Supercars Champion to get up to third, which didn't come.

"We had pace to stay with him but didn't have pace to pass him," Lowndes said.

"We had enough to harass him but really we had to wait until hopefully he made a mistake, which he didn't.

"So we had good pace but he just had slightly better drive off four and 12, and with that just couldn't quite get close enough, and in the braking areas to attack him and have a go.

"So a little bit disappointed. But I think we finished, where the pace of the car [was]. We were struggling with pace, so happy with a fourth and now second in the Championship, so we haven't lost everything."

Surpassing Mark Winterbottom - by just six points! - Red Bull now occupies p1 and p2 on the Championship table.

Lowndes is separated from teammate and Sandown winner Jamie Whincup by 273 points - less than earned for a win at the next race, the Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000, which Lowndes has won five times and co-driver Steve Richards three.

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Once the Red Bull team gets on a roll, it can be hard for others to challenge. However, despite often being called 'Mr Endurance' as a result of his strong performances during this Pirtek Enduro Cup phase of the Championship, Lowndes isn't making any predictions.

"We'll see what happens," he said when asked whether it would be another Red Bull battle come December.

"I've always said these three races make or break a Championship.

"Frosty finished 10th, so they had a disappointing day, but a lot of other people did too.

"We were lucky enough and I think we got the best speed out of the car for what it was ... I think Jamie's car was always going to be strong. I think PD did a great job and the way the race format unfolded - the co-drivers actually did a lot more of the driving than we'd expected."

Lowndes chuckled at the idea that he is just the tag along come next event at the Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000, while teammate Richards is the defending Champion, given his narrow win with Winterbottom at the Mountain last year.

"Pretty much!" Lowndes laughed.

"Steve and I, we're not too disappointed with the weekend. He likes the car similar to what I do. As a collective group we definitely hit some goals this weekend, we just need a little bit more car speed for race time ... Steve did a great job, kept us out of trouble, had a few little contacts but nothing major.

"I think a lot of people had little contacts at the beginning of the race, that's for sure."

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