On this day: Whincup becomes a seven-time champion

Next weekend’s Repco Bathurst 1000 will be the final full-time start for the retiring Jamie Whincup.

On this day four years ago, Whincup crossed the line to score arguably his most important race win - a win which sealed his place in Supercars history.

On November 26, 2017, Whincup won a dramatic season finale on the streets of Newcastle to win his seventh drivers’ title.

The 2017 Supercars Championship title fight went down to the final round between Whincup and Scott McLaughlin.

The title wasn't officially decided, in controversial circumstances, until after the chequered flag following a tense final few laps.

A day earlier, Whincup - who arrived in Newcastle with a slender points lead - clashed with Michael Caruso on the opening lap.

He was ultimately classified 21st, 13 laps behind winner McLaughlin, who carried a 78-point lead with just a single 150-point race to go.

Whincup had to pull off a miracle to win his seventh title. McLaughlin, meanwhile only had to finish 11th to win his first.

The race unravelled in chaotic circumstances for McLaughlin, who led the first stint ahead of Shane van Gisbergen.

The two Kiwis pitted on lap 14, and McLaughlin was adjudged to have sped in pit lane.

He dropped outside the top 20, and recovered to the back of the top 10 before he sent Simona De Silvestro into a spin.

A 15-second penalty at his stop dropped McLaughlin back again, and he had it all to do again.

All the while, Whincup had managed to work his way into second, which quickly became first after van Gisbergen was instructed to let his teammate through.

With 38 laps to go, McLaughlin was sitting 16th. With 22 laps to go, he was 13th.

With a handful of laps remaining, McLaughlin climbed over Garry Rogers Motorsport duo James Moffat and Garth Tander.

Only Craig Lowndes stood between McLaughlin and the title. On the penultimate lap, McLaughlin bowled a wide at Turn 1 and encouraged Lowndes to get a run on the uphill straight between Turns 1 and 2.

McLaughlin covered, but forced Lowndes into the wall and out of the race.

Whincup won, and McLaughlin crossed the line in 11th before immediately being hit with a post-race drive-through penalty.

McLaughlin was classified 18th, and Whincup was a seven-time champion.

Whincup and his team were raucous in celebration of a title that seemed beyond them only 24 hours earlier.

Whincup, a usual picture of calmness, couldn’t hide his elation in Newcastle, which will open the 2022 Repco Supercars Championship.

He celebrated his triumph by first jumping in a fountain, before heading to the Red Bull boat anchored in the Newcastle harbour, downing a beer and doing a backflip into the water.

An eighth title didn’t materialise, with van Gisbergen beating Whincup to the 2021 crown last weekend in Sydney.

The 2021 Repco Supercars Championship and Dunlop Series seasons will conclude at the Repco Bathurst 1000.

Every session of the event will be broadcast live on Foxtel (Fox Sports 503) and streamed on Kayo.

The Seven Network will provide live free to air coverage of the event. Tickets for the event and camping are on sale now.