Winterbottom: we will fight all the way

A top three finish for his Ford Performance Racing Falcon FG II for the first time since Darwin hasn't prompted Championship aspirant Mark Winterbottom to believe his pace issues have been resolved.

Winterbottom set fourth fastest qualifying time for the Wilson Security Sandown 500 and Steve Owen translated that into a third place finish in the co-drivers' 20-lap race.

Winterbottom will start third on the grid for the main drivers' 20-lapper and his finishing position in that race will determine where he and Owen start tomorrow's Pirtek Enduro Cup opener.

"It's good to see the car up there fighting again," said Winterbottom, who has watched a 161 point championship lead turn into a 135 point deficit over the last nine championship races.

In that time Winterbottom has not qualified in the top five and only twice cracked the top 10. He has not finished a race in the top five and has finished only four times in the top 10.

Winterbottom has been dogged by rear grip issues with the Pepsi Max Falcon and the team tested before Sandown searching for solutions. That that time he predicted improved from at Sandown because the FPR chassis traditionally works well there.

"We are still not happy to be honest," Winterbottom said. "It's good to make a step forward but we are still not happy. We have got a good car but we are still not competitive. There are lots of things we feel like we can improve."

Winterbottom praised Owen's drive, which saw him jump to second off the line and then only give up that position late to a charging Jonathon Webb's charging VIP Pet Foods Commodore late in the race. Whincup's co-driver Paul Dumbrell won in dominant fashion.

"I think Steve made up for a lot of the speed then. The car was reasonable in qually, but he was very good," Winterbottom said.

He said he was confident for Sunday because Owen would be competitive against the other co-drivers in the first part of the race, leaving him to fight for the win later.

"I am lucky I have got him with me and from that point all we can do is fight. Obviously the car we are chasing is fast as well. But at Sandown you can be quick in one stint and slow in the next and it can change quite a bit.

"Steve wants to win it, I want to win it, so we'll keep fighting."