Whincup’s road to equalling win record
“Winning is that money can’t buy experience. It’s what we all strive for.”
So surmised Jamie Whincup last Sunday, where a 105th career win saw him draw level with team-mate Craig Lowndes at the top of the all-time ATCC/Supercars winners list.
It was another key milestone in Whincup’s march through the record books which in 2014 saw him become the first man to win six championships.
Whincup also stands alone at the top of other key records including most pole positions (74) and podiums (177).
Whincup’s journey to greatness has been well documented, with a horror first season at Garry Rogers Motorsport resulting in unemployment at year’s end.
The young Victorian resurrected his career with a 2004 enduro campaign at Perkins Engineering and a solid full-time season a year later with Tasman.
Particularly strong drives in the 2005 enduros saw him picked to take up the second Triple Eight seat alongside Lowndes the following year, beginning a golden partnership.
Lowndes already had 58 wins and three championships to his name at the start of 2006, where the duo opened their pairing with a win apiece at the Clipsal 500.
Four of their wins – three Bathurst 1000s and a Sandown 500 - were achieved together before the rules changed to stop primary drivers from teaming up in 2010.
Take a look back through Whincup’s road to the all-time win record with his complete list of victories.
Highlighted are the 10 Whincup nominated as his best on the eve of his century last year, as well as his latest in Townsville.
Win No. | Race | Car |
1 |
| 2006 Clipsal 500 Adelaide - Race 2 | Ford BA | |
“I’d worked very, very hard to get in the V8 Supercars category and then I lost my drive in ‘04. It was very hard to get back in 2005; I worked extremely hard to join a team that could win races. So to run that rollercoaster and finally get to a team that could win races (Triple Eight) and then win on debut on the Sunday – win one of the biggest events of the year – that’s right up there (with my best).
“There was a bent rim. I passed Dean Canto at turn four, we clipped, bent the rim, the rim was so badly damaged the tyre should’ve gone down – we should’ve not finished that race. But somehow the tyre stayed up and we’ve got that rim at home in my living room."
| | 2 | 2006 Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000 | Ford BA | |
“It was an emotional day – probably more so for my team-mate Lowndesy. There was big debate whether he was going to start the car or I was going to start the car; he was an emotional wreck just before the race. He elected to start the car.
“I felt like I certainly played a role that day, got the car to the lead and handed over to Craig to do his thing – he was unbelievable in that last stint to come home.
“It was an emotional day for everyone involved and it was my first Bathurst win as well so that made it extra special."
| | 3 | 2007 Winton Motor Raceway - Race 1 | Ford BF | | 4 | 2007 Just Car Insurance Sandown 500 - Race | Ford BF | | 5 | 2007 Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000 - Race | Ford BF | | 6 | 2007 Falken Tasmania Challenge - Race 2 | Ford BF | | 7 | 2007 Falken Tasmania Challenge - Race 3 | Ford BF | | 8 | 2008 Clipsal 500 Adelaide - Race 1 | Ford BF | | 9 | 2008 Clipsal 500 Adelaide - Race 2 | Ford BF | | 10 | 2008 Midas 400 - Race 1 | Ford BF | | 11 | 2008 Midas 400 - Race 3 | Ford BF | | 12 | 2008 Winton Motor Raceway - Race 1 | Ford BF | | 13 | 2008 Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000 | Ford BF | | 14 | 2008 Coffee Club V8 Supercar Challenge - Race 1 | Ford BF | | 15 | 2008 Coffee Club V8 Supercar Challenge - Race 2 | Ford BF | | 16 | 2008 Coffee Club V8 Supercar Challenge - Race 3 | Ford BF | | 17 | 2008 Gulf Air Desert 400 - Race 1 | Ford BF | | 18 | 2008 Gulf Air Desert 400 - Race 2 | Ford BF | | 19 | 2008 Gulf Air Desert 400 - Race 3 | Ford BF | | 20 | 2008 Falken Tasmania Challenge - Race 2 | Ford BF | | 21 | 2008 Falken Tasmania Challenge - Race 3 | Ford BF | | 22 | 2008 NRMA Motoring & Services Grand Finale - Race 1 | Ford BF | |
“My first championship win – I came very close in 2007 with Garth (Tander).
“I wrote the car off at Hamilton in 2008 and pretty much dropped a round. We battled our way back through all year, so it was an unbelievable feeling to cross the line in that first race on Saturday.
“To win my first championship was pretty incredible stuff.”
| | 23 | 2009 Clipsal 500 Adelaide - Race 1 | Ford FG | | 24 | 2009 Clipsal 500 Adelaide - Race 2 | Ford FG | | 25 | 2009 Hamilton 400 - Race 1 | Ford FG | | 26 | 2009 Hamilton 400 - Race 2 | Ford FG | | 27 | 2009 Falken Tasmania Challenge - Race 2 | Ford FG | | 28 | 2009 SKYCITY Triple Crown - Race 1 | Ford FG | | 29 | 2009 Dunlop Townsville 400 - Race 1 | Ford FG | | 30 | 2009 Queensland House and Land 300 - Race 1 | Ford FG | | 31 | 2009 The Island 300 - Race 1 | Ford FG | | 32 | 2009 The Island 300 - Race 2 | Ford FG | | 33 | 2009 BigPond 300 300 - Race 1 | Ford FG | | 34 | 2010 YAS V8 400 - Race 1 | Holden VE | |
“This was the big controversial Ford to Holden switch which was just unknown in that era. That was the big news, that Triple Eight decided to do the big switch.
“We went to Abu Dhabi – obviously a massive event for the category to race in the Middle East. It was our first time at Abu Dhabi on the big stage, first time in a Holden – good stuff.”
| | 35 | 2010 YAS V8 400 - Race 2 | Holden VE | | 36 | 2010 Gulf Air Desert 400 - Race 1 | Holden VE | | 37 | 2010 Gulf Air Desert 400 - Race 2 | Holden VE | | 38 | 2010 ITM400 Hamilton - Race 1 | Holden VE | | 39 | 2010 ITM400 Hamilton - Race 2 | Holden VE | | 40 | 2010 SKYCITY Triple Crown - Race 2 | Holden VE | | 41 | 2010 Sucrogen Townsville 400 - Race 1 | Holden VE | | 42 | 2010 Armor All Gold Coast 600 - Race 2 | Holden VE | |
“That epic battle with my now new team-mate Shane van Gisbergen.
"I worked pretty hard and the Gold Coast is a pretty special event for me because it’s my home event. I wanted that more than anyone else and did what I felt like I needed to in a car that was running out of rear tyres at the end of the race.
“To win a race wearing budgie smugglers – that went down in the memory bank for me!”
| | 43 | 2011 YAS V8 400 - Race 1 | Holden VE | | 44 | 2011 Clipsal 500 Adelaide - Race 2 | Holden VE | | 45 | 2011 Trading Post Perth Challenge - Race 1 | Holden VE | | 46 | 2011 Trading Post Perth Challenge - Race 3 | Holden VE | | 47 | 2011 Winton Motor Raceway - Race 1 | Holden VE | | 48 | 2011 Sucrogen Townsville 400 - Race 2 | Holden VE | | 49 | 2011 Armor All Gold Coast 600 - Race 1 | Holden VE | | 50 | 2011 Falken Tasmania Challenge - Race 1 | Holden VE | | 51 | 2011 Falken Tasmania Challenge - Race 2 | Holden VE | | 52 | 2011 Norton 360 Sandown Challenge - Race 2 | Holden VE | | 53 | 2012 Clipsal 500 Adelaide - Race 1 | Holden VE | |
“I’m not a spiritual person – my father passed away the week before, my good mate Will Davison is leading the race, I pass him with half a lap to go and take one of the biggest wins of the year. So that’s by far my number one (best win).”
| | 54 | 2012 Tasmania Challenge - Race 2 | Holden VE | | 55 | 2012 SKYCITY Triple Crown - Race 1 | Holden VE | | 56 | 2012 Sucrogen Townsville 400 - Race 1 | Holden VE | | 57 | 2012 Sucrogen Townsville 400 - Race 2 | Holden VE | | 58 | 2012 Sydney Motorsport Park 360 - Race 2 | Holden VE | | 59 | 2012 Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000 | Holden VE | |
"It was the 50th year (of the Bathurst race), coming on to the end of the Vodafone era that was quite significant for all of us. It was coming towards the end of that generation of car, which was what V8 Supercars was all about – Ford vs Holden.
“It was the first time I’d actually crossed the line at Bathurst … in a crazy fuel race with David Reynolds.
“One, because it’s Bathurst; two, because of the actual race itself, the battle with Davey Reynolds; and three I personally crossed the line. Which isn’t a huge factor, I still felt all those wins before were genuine wins, but it’s the icing on top of the cake, crossing the line.”
| | 60 | 2012 Armor All Gold Coast 600 - Race 1 | Holden VE | | 61 | 2012 V8 Supercars at the Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix - Race 1 | Holden VE | | 62 | 2012 V8 Supercars at the Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix - Race 2 | Holden VE | | 63 | 2012 V8 Supercars at the Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix - Race 3 | Holden VE | | 64 | 2012 Winton Motor Raceway - Race 1 | Holden VE | | 65 | 2013 ITM 400 Auckland - Race 2 | Holden VF | | 66 | 2013 Chill Perth 360 - Race 2 | Holden VF | | 67 | 2013 Chill Perth 360 - Race 3 | Holden VF | | 68 | 2013 Austin 400 - Race 1 | Holden VF | | 69 | 2013 Austin 400 - Race 2 | Holden VF | | 70 | 2013 Austin 400 - Race 4 | Holden VF | |
"Austin was a big stage for us, the first time racing in the US. It was obviously a massive event, unbelievable track – to win the first race in Austin, that’s a big achievement in my books.”
| | 71 | 2013 SKYCITY Triple Crown - Race 1 | Holden VF | | 72 | 2013 Coates Hire Ipswich 360 - Race 1 | Holden VF | | 73 | 2013 Wilson Security Sandown 500 | Holden VF | |
“One of the great stories of my time in V8 Supercars and at Triple Eight. We speculated there were issues with the car, it was all hands on deck for two weeks before the event, burned the midnight oil.
“Roland committed to a new car, which is a massive cost and massive deal … and then for the guys and girls to just do a stupid stint to get the car ready.
“We got a drive-through penalty in the middle of the day, and then came back and won the race. As I said, that’s been one of the greatest stories I’ve ever been involved in."
| | 74 | 2013 Sargent Security Phillip Island 360 - Race 3 | Holden VF | | 75 | 2013 Sydney NRMA Motoring & Services 500 - Race 1 | Holden VF | | 76 | 2014 Clipsal 500 Adelaide - Race 1 | Holden VF | | 77 | 2014 Tyrepower Tasmania 400 - Race 1 | Holden VF | | 78 | 2014 Tyrepower Tasmania 400 - Race 2 | Holden VF | | 79 | 2014 SKYCITY Triple Crown - Race 1 | Holden VF | | 80 | 2014 SKYCITY Triple Crown - Race 2 | Holden VF | | 81 | 2014 Castrol Townsville 500 - Race 1 | Holden VF | | 82 | 2014 Castrol Townsville 500 - Race 3 | Holden VF | | 83 | 2014 Coates Hire Ipswich 400 - Race 1 | Holden VF | | 84 | 2014 Coates Hire Ipswich 400 - Race 2 | Holden VF | | 85 | 2014 Wilson Security Sandown 500 | Holden VF | | 86 | 2014 Castrol EDGE Gold Coast 600 - Race 2 | Holden VF | | 87 | 2014 Plus Fitness Phillip Island 400 - Race 2 | Holden VF | | 88 | 2014 Sydney NRMA 500 - Race 1 | Holden VF | | 89 | 2014 Sydney NRMA 500 - Race 2 | Holden VF | | 90 | 2015 Clipsal 500 Adelaide - Race 1 | Holden VF | | 91 | 2015 Tyrepower Tasmania SuperSprint - Race 3 | Holden VF | | 92 | 2015 Sydney Motorsport Park SuperSprint - Race 2 | Holden VF | | 93 | 2015 ITM 500 Auckland - Race 1 | Holden VF | | 94 | 2015 ITM 500 Auckland - Race 3 | Holden VF | |
“As we know JR was a good mate of mine, a team-mate, obviously one of the biggest losses the category has faced. So to win the Sunday race and have my name on the Jason Richards trophy is very special. Knowing it’s going to be there forever is a huge deal.”
| | 95 | 2015 WD-40 Phillip Island SuperSprint - Race 2 | Holden VF | | 96 | 2015 Coates Hire Sydney 500 - Race 1 | Holden VF | | 97 | 2015 Coates Hire Sydney 500 - Race 2 | Holden VF | | 98 | 2016 Clipsal 500 Adelaide - Race 1 | Holden VF | | 99 | 2016 Castrol EDGE Townsville 400 - Race 1 | Holden VF | | 100 | 2016 Red Rooster Sydney SuperSprint - Race 2 | Holden VF | | 101 | 2016 Castrol Gold Coast 600 - Race 2 | Holden VF | | 102 | 2016 ITM Auckland SuperSprint - Race 1 | Holden VF | | 103 | 2016 ITM Auckland SuperSprint - Race 4 | Holden VF | | 104 | 2016 Coates Hire Sydney 500 - Race 1 | Holden VF | | 105 | 2017 Watpac Townsville 400 - Race 2 | Holden VF | |
“It’s obviously up there (with my best wins). It’s highlighted because I haven’t had a victory for a long time.
“We had a good car. It’s a little reward for the dedication that’s been going on behind the scenes. We’ve unfortunately had no social life, grinding it out trying to make our cars faster.
"We’ll still continue to do that, but it’s just a small reward to say what we’re doing is right and keep working hard. Winning is that money can’t buy experience. It’s what we all strive for.”
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