Jamie's rocketship: The very first Townsville winner

Jamie Whincup is the doyen of the Reid Park Street Circuit, with no driver close to the seven-time champion’s record 12 Townsville wins.

Next weekend’s NTI Townsville 500 will mark Whincup’s final visit to the North Queensland venue as a full-time driver.

On only three visits has he failed to win in Townsville, in 2013, 2015 and 2019.

En route to his second straight drivers’ title in 2009, Whincup created his own piece of history when he won the opening race at the inaugural Townsville event.

FULL RACE: TOWNSVILLE'S FIRST RACE IN 2009

It marked Whincup’s seventh race win from 11 starts in 2009, with his victory coming in front of a huge crowd of 60,117 fans.

After an early skirmish, leader James Courtney was forced into the pits with engine issues on lap 4.

That handed the lead back to first-time pole winner Lee Holdsworth in his Garry Rogers Motorsport Holden.

On lap 30, the racing gods turned their back on Holdsworth when, trailing Whincup for the effective lead, his engine lost oil pressure.

It was a cruel blow for Holdsworth and GRM, which had struck gold through Michael Caruso in Darwin just weeks earlier.

Holdsworth had been closing in on his second race win, having broken through in the wet at Oran Park in 2007.

"It's just what comes with the sport, isn't it," a dejected Holdsworth said after the race.

"The pole position was awesome this morning but I was a pretty good bet at the race win I think so at least we know we've got speed and we'll have another crack at tomorrow."

Holdsworth’s stricken car triggered the Safety Car, and the majority of the field pitted for the second time.

Alex Davison led Greg Murphy and Tim Slade on the lap 35 restart.

Behind them in fourth was Whincup, who was the first driver in the queue to have made two stops.

In between Slade and Whincup was the lapped Jack Perkins, who was tapped into a spin by the latter.

It was determined that Whincup would not be penalised for the indiscretion because the pair were not racing for position.

Davison would later strike trouble of his own; a steering rack issue left him stranded at the final turn with nine laps remaining.

A four-lap Safety Car period kept Whincup guessing, but lapped cars between himself and second-placed Will Davison helped him retain track position.

Davison was followed by Caruso, Garth Tander and Lowndes, with Tander passing Caruso for the final spot on the podium.

However, after starting ninth, Whincup had achieved his 29th career win, and had won at an 11th different circuit in his career.

"To win the inaugural race in Townsville is pretty special, but today was about all the people who have made this event such a spectacular success," he said after the race.

"That was certainly one of the toughest races of the year, both on the car and myself, but fortunately I had a rocketship underneath me.

"I am just so proud to be a part of this entire team which is working so hard to achieve what we are."

Whincup did, however, admit he got away with the Perkins incident: "I must admit it was a bit of a lucky one.

"I clipped Michael Caruso on the way through and bent the steering and got hit by David Reynolds under Safety Car and I had a tap with Jack Perkins.

"We had a bit of a touch and had we have been racing for position I would have had to redress that.

"But lucky enough it wasn't for position, but it's not good. I owe Jack a couple of beers I think."

Whincup would add 11 more wins to his Townsville record from 28 starts.

He is one of only six drivers to have started all 29 races in Townsville, the others being Shane van Gisbergen, Mark Winterbottom, Fabian Coulthard, James Courtney and Rick Kelly.

He won the first two races of last year’s Townsville doubleheader, and scored five podiums in six starts across the two events.

The retiring Whincup will be eyeing his 13th win when the Repco Supercars Championship field returns to North Queensland for the NTI Townsville 500 across July 9-11. Tickets are available here.

The event will be broadcast live on Foxtel and will be streamed on Kayo, and will be broadcast live and free on Seven.