After 37 races in the V8 Supercar Championship, and around 6,650 kilometres of competitive racing, just one race remains in the 2014 season. Join The Roar for a live blog of the final 250 kilometres of the season from the Sydney 500 at 11:05am AEDT.
Yesterday’s two races summed up the 2014 championship nicely. In a day of unpredictability, in both weather conditions and qualifying, Jamie Whincup still came out on top, battled the elements, and won Race 36 and 37.
He coped with the pressure well to further stamp himself as the championship winner of 2014. At the end of today’s racing, Whincup will officially be handed his sixth title in the category.
Yesterday, he won both races, in the dominant fashion we have seen from him in the second half of the season. In Race 36 Whincup overtook Tim Slade with 12 laps to go to take his 13th win of the season.
He then made it 14 wins in dramatic fashion in Race 37 as he – and the rest of the field – survived a deluge of rain.
After taking the lead into the first corner of the race, Whincup would hold that positon and extend his lead, as a big weather pattern crossed over Homebush.
By the middle of the race it started to rain as the track became partially flooded by the deluge.
This made the teams pit for wet weather tyres and forced the officials to red flag the race and wait for the rain to clear.
While it didn’t clear fully towards the end of the race, for a restart, it did become clear enough for the drivers to get back out of the track.
This allowed the field to complete the required laps and make it a completed race.
Whincup, as the leader, would take the win as the field finished under the safety car on lap 24.
It would complete a fascinating days racing as teams and drivers struggled with the circuit and the conditions in Sydney.
Today they do it all again with a 250 kilometre race to finish the season. They will also have a top ten shootout to contend with before the race.
The weather could also become a factor with showers and thunderstorms forecasted again in Sydney.
According to the Bureau of Meteorology there is a “High (70%) chance of showers during this afternoon and early evening. Thunderstorm likely during this afternoon and early evening.”
If that happens, Shane Van Gisbergen becomes one of the favourites for the race. The New Zealander was one of the drivers of the day yesterday.
In Race 36 he went from 18th to 6th and finished second in Race 37. Had the conditions improved in Race 37, and they raced again, Van Gisbergen would have been one of the drivers to beat in the wet conditions.
If it rains tomorrow, and it is safe to drive in those conditions, Van Gisbergen will become a big contender.
The Holden driver is also battling for second in the championship and moved to third after yesterday’s races.
He is just 87 points behind Winterbottom for second and a good result could give him his best ever finish in the V8 Supercar Championship.
Someone else who is also looking for a good result today is Marcos Ambrose, who had a tough day yesterday. A crash in qualifying put him at the back of the grid for both races.
While he finished Race 36 and 37, in 20th and 21st respectively, Ambrose will be looking to move higher up the field today.
As this is his last race before he embarks on a full championship campaign, he will want as much experience and confidence as he can get before he starts the season next year.
Today is also the last race for Russell Ingall as a full time driver. He is unlikely to get a contract with any team for 2015 and his career in a full time capacity will be over.
Here’s hoping the enforcer has one more charge in him.
It could also be a significant day for Scott Pye, Nick Percat, Jack Perkins and Dale Wood. None of these drivers have a deal for 2015 in the main game. A good result today could sway teams to sign these drivers next year.
It is shaping up to be a big day in the V8 Supercars as teams finish 2014 and look ahead to 2015.
Join The Roar for all the action of the final race of the season.
Shane Jones
Roar Guru
That is all from me in the V8 Supercars for this year. Jamie Whincup is the champion after a dramatic weekend in Sydney. I'll be back next year for the 2015 season when it will all begin in Adelaide again. Big thanks to Ryman and Patrick, our awesome editors, who have helped me to build this up over the last few months. There have been plenty of highlights for the year and to cover the last half of the championship has been amazing. I hope you all have enjoyed it as much as I have. A big thank you to everyone who has tuned in as well. Your support continues to make this a reality. I'll be still around until the end of the year blogging for the Roar so keep an eye on that to stay up to date with everything in sport. So until next year, when we hit the streets of Adelaide, it is bye for me for 2014 in the V8 Supercars. Bring on 2015. It promises to be a blast. I also hope all the drivers and teams have a merry christmas and a happy new year. See you next year. Thanks again.
Shane Jones
Roar Guru
TOP 5 IN POINTS - 1. Jamie Whincup 3364 2. Shane van Gisbergen 2778 3. Mark Winterbottom 2763 4. Craig Lowndes 2656 5. Scott McLaughlin 2509
Crazy Horse
Roar Pro
Rained out in December! Fortunately climate change is a myth.
Shane Jones
Roar Guru
Jamie Whincup also seals his 6th V8 Supercar championship. Shane Van Gisbergen - after winning the final race of the season - seals second in the championship. Mark Winterbottom held on to third.
Shane Jones
Roar Guru
RESULTS - 1. Shane Van Gisbergen - Tekno Autosport - Holden 2. Garth Tander - Holden Racing Team - Holden 3. James Courtney - Holden Racing Team - Holden 4. Jamie Whincup - Red Bull Racing - Holden 5. Chaz Mostert - Ford Performance Racing - Ford 6. Tim Slade - Supercheap Auto Racing - Holden 7. Rick Kelly - Jack Daniel's Racing - Nissan 8. Scott McLaughlin - Valvoline GRM racing - Volvo 9. Jason Bright - Team BOC - Holden 10. Will Davison - Erebus Racing - Mercedes 11. Nick Percat - Walkinshaw Racing - Holden 12. Fabian Coulthard - Team Lockwood - Holden 13. David Reynolds - Bottle O Racing - Ford 14. Todd Kelly - Jack Daniel's Racing - Nissan 15. James Moffat - Norton Hornets - Nissan 16. Marcos Ambrose - Dick Johnson Racing - Ford 17. Craig Lowndes - Red Bull Racing - Holden 18. Lee Holdsworth - Erebus Racing - Mercedes 19. Mark Winterbottom - Ford Performance Racing - Ford 20. Russell Ingall - Lucas Dumbrell Racing - Holden 21. Scott Pye - Dick Johnson Racing - Ford 22. David Wall - Dick Johnson Racing - Ford 23. Jack Perkins - Team JELDWEN - Ford 24. Dale Wood - Brad Jones Racing - Holden 25. Robert Dahlgren - Valvoline GRM Racing - Volvo 26. Michael Caruso - Norton Hornets - Nissan
Shane Jones
Roar Guru
THE RACE IS OVER. The officials have abandoned Race 38 of the championship. Shane Van Gisbergen wins race 38 of the championship.
Shane Jones
Roar Guru
The coverage is still out and the race is still red flagged. There was a massive crack of lightning near the circuit so it wouldn't surprise me if it hit the broadcasting facilities.
Shane Jones
Roar Guru
You know the weather is bad when the actual coverage cuts out. We are still under red flag conditions.
Shane Jones
Roar Guru
Nothing to really report. The race is still Red Flagged.
Mark Young
Roar Guru
Hi Shane, that was the most exciting motor racing I have seen this year since the Bahrain GP. VAN Gis was mighty. Hope we see some more running..
Shane Jones
Roar Guru
The race has been stopped on lap 46. The race can be called and full points will be awarded. If that happens then Van Gisbergen will win.
Shane Jones
Roar Guru
45/74 RED FLAG The race - much like yesterday - has been suspended. All drivers will return to pit lane and wait for the weather to clear.
Shane Jones
Roar Guru
43/74 I reckon it will clear in about 30 minutes. The race will be timed certain but we should get back to racing again.
Shane Jones
Roar Guru
42/74 For two laps, Van Gisbergen was sliding and slipping around the track, trying to overtake Tander. His car control was amazing during those two laps. Every driver did well during those two laps. We now have to wait until the weather clears so we can race again.
Shane Jones
Roar Guru
41/74 SAFETY CAR has been called. Tander then goes off at turn 9 and hands the lead to Van Gisbergen. He will take the lead under the safety car. What a two laps of racing.
Shane Jones
Roar Guru
41/74 Van Gisbergen is attacking Tander everywhere on the track.
Shane Jones
Roar Guru
41/74 ORDER - Tander, Van Gisbergen, Courtney, Whincup, Mostert.
Shane Jones
Roar Guru
40/74 It is wet everywhere on the track.
Shane Jones
Roar Guru
40/74 That was brilliant by Tander. He actually gained an amazing amount of time. He is in the lead.
Shane Jones
Roar Guru
40/74 Tander pits. I reckon he needed to stay out to get the fuel requirement completed. Each driver needed to put 140 litres of fuel into the car during the stops to complete the race.