Source: TeamVodafone

It was a day of mixed emotions for TeamVodafone at the Coates Hire Ipswich 300, Craig Lowndes celebrated a clean sweep at the Ipswich track, while teammate Jamie Whincup finished tenth after mechanical issues dashed any chance of a 1-2 finish.

Lowndes momentum continued to gain pace, the car #888 driver edged out his teammate to claim pole position for today's third and final race and he was never headed on his way to the chequered flag and his 80th V8 Supercar race victory.

On the other side of the garage it was a day Jamie Whincup would like to forget, the #88 Commodore suffered mechanical issues on the warm up lap, sending him back to the pits before the race start.

Coming out of the pits and starting at the back of the field, Whincup showed true grit and charged through the field, passing 18 cars on his way to finishing tenth.

Today's results have seen the point's gap between the two TeamVodafone drivers narrow and now just 98 points separate Whincup and Lowndes in the championship standings.

The team will now prepare for the first of the endurance races, the L & H Phillip Island 500 on September 16th – 18th .

Source: TeamVodafone

TeamVodafone's military guise proved fruitful in the final leg of the Sucrogen Townsville 400, Jamie Wincup and Craig Lowndes dominating todays 72 lap race to claim another TeamVodafone one-two finish.

Craig Lowndes kicked off proceedings, taking pole position more than three-tenths of a second ahead of yesterday’s pole sitter Mark Winterbottom.

The #888 driver held a clear lead for the majority of the race, but couldn’t maintain the speed his teammate held, Whincup passing Lowndes on Lap 56 of the race.

In taking his sixth race win of the year Whincup extended his championship lead and now sits 186 points ahead of Lowndes.

The TeamVodafone duo will take a short break before preparing for their home track event at Queensland Raceway on August 19-21.

Source: TeamVodafone

Craig Lowndes consolidated his second place in the Championship with a solid second place in today's final race at Hidden Valley Raceway.

Starting third on the grid and recording a strong start, Lowndes lost time queuing behind teammate Whincup during the first pitstop but benefitted from his tyre strategy, opting to run the soft set for his final stint. While Lowndes took the race lead following the final safety car period he was passed by Shane Van Gisbergen on lap 66.

Jamie Whincup endured a front row race start he would like to forget, the TeamVodafone driver bogged down back to seventh as the field got off the line. Opting to start the 200km race on his soft set of tyres, Whincup quickly regained second position but lamented the unnecessary load he put on them at the start.

Whincup led for most of the race but was overhauled at the end by the soft tyre finishers, the second safety car bunching the field back up, pushing the #88 pilot to sixth place by race end.

The TeamVodafone duo leave Darwin with 156 points separating them in the championship standings, Whincup with 1395 points ahead of Lowndes on 1239.

While TeamVodafone will begin preparing for Event 7 of the V8 Supercar Championship Series in Townsville on the 8-10 July, they will take time out on June 26 to take part in the Brissie to the Bay 100km bike ride to raise money for Queenslanders suffering from Multiple Sclerosis.

Source: TeamVodafone

Almost a corresponding result to their starting order, a second and a seventh for TeamVodafone’s Jamie Whincup and Craig Lowndes (respectively) in today’s 200km soft tyre sprint race ensures they remain on top of the V8 Supercar Championship Series table.

Whincup dominated the majority of Sunday’s qualifying session until Winterbottom cleared his time by 9 one-hundredths of a second in the final few minutes.

Concerns over engine reliability led to a replacement after qualifying, the Holden pilot still managed the sixth fastest time of the session. A faultless pit stop by the TeamVodafone pit crew saw Whincup gain valuable track position leap-frogging Tander in pitlane.

Lowndes held a consistent speed throughout the final race of the weekend, coming in one position behind where he started.

With 262 points now separating Whincup and Lowndes in the top two positions on the V8 Supercar Championship standings, TeamVodafone heads back to the Triple Eight workshop to prepare for Event 7 of the V8 Supercar Championship Series in Darwin from the 17th – 19th June.

Source: TeamVodafone

On an action packed final day of the Trading Post Perth Challenge, TeamVodafone managed to execute an almost perfect weekend with Jamie Whincup securing pole position for today’s two races before taking the chequered flag second and first respectively. Craig Lowndes also enjoyed a successful day of racing, qualifying third for today’s two 121km races and finishing an impressive fourth in both.

The #888 pilot has also moved to second in the championship standings. While fans were ready for an action-packed Sunday with Race 8 and 9 of the V8 Supercar Championship to be contested on the one day, no one expected to witness the fireball explosion that resulted when Karl Reindler’s stalled Commodore was collected Steve Owen at the start of Race 8.

Both drivers came out of the collision safely but the race re-start was delayed as event crew worked frantically to clear the track of debris.

Team’s returned to the grid for the restart and Whincup soon became embroiled in a battle with Jason Bright for the top spot.

Teammate Craig Lowndes joined the battle group but tyre wear got the better of the #888 Commodore and he eventually finished fourth. While Whincup pushed hard but couldn’t close the gap to Bright it was a different story in the final race of the day.

The two-time V8 Supercar Champion fought back and took the lead off Bright after both drivers made a pitstop after Lap 23, a position he fiercely defended over the closing laps of the race. Lowndes again battled with tyre degradation and finished fourth.

While Lowndes and Whincup will depart Perth for a whirlwind tour of Port Headland and Karratha the TeamVodafone crew will head home to prepare for the next event at Winton Motor Raceway.

Source: TeamVodafone

While the outcome of the final leg of the ITM 400 in Hamilton seemed dim, TeamVodafone have firmed as Championship favourites with Jamie Whincup extending his points lead and Craig Lowndes moving to third place in the overall standings following today’s action packed 200km race.

The day didn’t start well for the TeamVodafone duo, with both drivers unable to get a clean lap in before the heavens opened during qualifying, Lowndes coming in 8th and Whincup following behind in 9th.

Lowndes started off grid position eight and was steadily progressing towards the front of the field when he was handed a drive through penalty for crossing the blend line following his first pitstop. The TeamVodafone driver impressively fought his way back up the order to finish tenth.

Teammate Jamie Whincup was the victim of a Turn 3 melee and demonstrated just how important it was to get back out on track despite being two laps down.

The Championship leader finished 18th but incredibly further extended his championship lead. Whincup also broke the Hamilton street circuit lap record with a time of 1:22:8973, bettering his own previously held record.

Local hero Shane Van Gisbergen was the eventual race winner ahead of Lee Holdsworth and Garth Tander.

TeamVodafone will now head back to their Brisbane base keen to put the arduous event behind them and regroup ahead of the Trading Post Perth Challenge which will be held at Barbagallo Raceway on 29th April – 1st May.

Source: TeamVodafone

TeamVodafone’s Jamie Whincup has won the Albert Park 400 at the Australian Grand Prix, taking victory in the final V8 Supercar race today. The final 25-lap leg was shortened due to a multi-car incident, which forced teammate Craig Lowndes into early retirement.

Whincup, who won two of the three V8 Supercar races this weekend, took the top step of the dais ahead of Garth Tander and Shane Van Gisbergen.

Battling a flu virus all weekend the TeamVodafone driver praised his team for calling the perfect strategy and giving him a consistently quick racecar. “This was another event that had a lot of craziness throughout,” Whincup said.

“There’s driver wins, team wins and then there’s pure arse. This one was definitely a team win. They called the strategy perfectly and that was that. "

“I am really disappointed for Craig, no one likes to see that much damage in a non points round,” he added.

After working his from the back of the field to sixth in yesterday’s race, today’s result closed the door on an up-and-down weekend for the #888 driver.

“I got a really good start in that race and the car was very strong,” Lowndes explained. “I was definitely aiming for a top three finish. "

“The contact with Rick Kelly caused both cars to hit the wall and the end result was some badly damaged cars. “In taking a positive out of an ordinary weekend– hopefully we have all our bad luck out of the way before Hamilton,” he added The team will head home to prepare for the third round of the 2011 V8 Supercar Championship Series - the ITM 400 in Hamilton (NZ) on 15-17 April.

Source: TeamVodafone

TeamVodafone’s Jamie Whincup has won his fourth Clipsal 500 in a dramatic finale to the 2011 event.

Wet weather, changing conditions and debris added extra pressure to the gruelling 250km race, which saw Whincup battle multiple race leaders throughout the two hour eight minute contest.

The victory, which is Whincup’s 44th career win, sees him further extend his lead in the championship to sit 144 points clear of Mark Winterbottom. Teammate Craig Lowndes endured a tough day; a punctured tyre, pitlane incident and drive-thru penalty saw him spend the day see-sawing up and down the order.

The TeamVodafone driver who eventually finished 12th will now head to Mount Panorama for Vodafone’s driver swap experience where he will switch seats with Vodafone McLaren Mercedes driver Jenson Button on Tuesday 22nd March Both will pilot their respective cars around the track before swapping seats, with Button behind the wheel of the TeamVodafone V8 Supercar and Lowndes gearing up for his first ever drive in a Formula 1™ car – the Vodafone McLaren Mercedes MP4-23.

Source: TeamVodafone

Race 2 of the V8 Supercar Championship Series at Abu Dhabi’s Yas Marina Circuit held all the action of a blockbuster movie with TeamVodafone playing a staring role.

Jamie Whincup fought valiantly for the top spot while teammate Craig Lowndes was penalised for knocking out the competition.

Just as it seemed pole sitter Jamie Whincup had control of Race 2, a series of safety car periods threw fuel consumption and race strategy out the window.

Whincup finished a respectable third place, behind Jason Bright and 2010 V8 Supercar Champion and fierce rival James Courtney, but bad luck seemed to follow Lowndes throughout the race.

The TeamVodafone driver out-broke, locked the brakes and ended up using Russell Ingall as a bumper as he attempted to make an inside pass on Lap 20.

The #888 Commodore sustained a large amount of damage to the front-right hand side, and was forced to pit for repairs. A drive through penalty further added to Lowndes woes and he finished the race in 21st position.

As teams scrambled to change their strategies, refuelling became a defining factor of the race.

With barely a drop left in the tank of his #88 Commodore after the race, Whincup said he was surprised that race winner James Courtney had enough fuel to continue, pitting two laps earlier than every other team.

As the series prepares to return to Australia for the traditional Australian opener, the Clipsal 500 Whincup leads the series with 279 points.

2011 livery and endurance driver launch
Source: TeamVodafone

Sydney’s Barangaroo precinct played host to TeamVodafone’s 2011 V8 Supercar season launch, with the fit and focused pairing of Jamie Whincup and Craig Lowndes revealing a new look and livery to sponsors, corporate guests, media and fans.

Two icons filled the frame. In the foreground sat the newest evolution of the TeamVodafone Supercar, one of Australia’s most recognised touring cars. The background was filled by Sydney’s Harbour Bridge, one of Australia’s most recognised landmarks. Another Australian icon was present – mateship.

Eager to ease the burden of the devastating floods in Queensland, the Brisbane-based team had pulled out all stops to build a motor racing track on the development’s shoreline, giving charity auction winners the ultimate V8 Supercar experience in the brand new 2011 racecar. Whincup and Lowndes met with the 10 highest bidders before taking them each for an unforgettable ride around the purpose-built precinct.

The rides, which raised $8,047.00 were the first of a series of online auctions to raise money for the Queensland Flood Appeal. A further $7,000.00 was donated by the NSW Government’s Baranagaroo precinct, which is being developed as one of the most ambitious and significant waterfront projects anywhere in the world.

The new livery builds on the TeamVodafone brand first introduced in 2007, and evolving ever since. Rocket red and chrome wash over the VEII Commodore from front bumper to rear bar, with black detailing setting off an aggressive overall stance.

Drivers Lowndes and Whincup were pleased with the look of their new ride but were eager to change the #888 and #88 stickers by season’s end.

“2010 was an exemplary year for the team,” said last year’s runner up, Whincup.“We won the most races and dominated the enduro’s to be crowned team’s champions, but came up short in the driver’s stakes by a small margin."

“Both Craig and myself are confident that, after a full season in the Commodore, we are ready to challenge for the title once again and get that #1 back on one of the TeamVodafone Holdens.”

Lowndes agreed with his teammate and said the team had worked incredibly hard during the off-season to build two potential race-winning cars.

“We have the hardest-working team in V8 Supercars and it’s the consistency within our organisation that will ensure we are contenders in 2011,” said Lowndes. “Our goal in 2011 is to re-claim the driver’s title and I believe that Jamie and myself will be in the running.”

The team’s endurance driver lineup was also revealed today. Mark Skaife will re-unite with Craig Lowndes in the #888 Holden Commodore following their incredible victories at Phillip Island and Bathurst last year.

“Teaming up with Craig last year was an absolute pleasure and I could not have predicted that we would walk away with two enduro wins,” said Skaife. “The team is extremely professional in every aspect and I feel privileged to be returning to the endurance race co-driver role in what is sure to be a very strong car come September.”

Though the ‘Legends’ loom large, the ‘Guns’ pairing is eager to play a part.

Andrew Thompson will partner Jamie Whincup in car #88, and the young charger is more determined than ever to prove his worth in the series after battling with uncompetitive drives in seasons past.

“It’s a huge opportunity for me and I feel extremely lucky to have been given this chance,” said Thompson. “I have a lot of work to do to repay the faith but I am really looking forward to getting the year underway and proving what I can do.”

One of the team’s newest faces, Adrian Burgess, is settling in well after two weeks in the workshop and is eager to get the season underway in his role as Team Principal.

“The team has been hard at work in preparing for 2011 and we’re very focused on the goal of bringing back the driver’s championship,” said Burgess. “2010 saw the team build plenty of momentum in its first season with the Holden Commodore, which we feel will serve us well heading into the season opener next month.”

The 2011 V8 Supercar season gets underway this weekend with the official test to be held at Sydney’s Eastern Creek Raceway. The first round will be held at the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi from February 10-12.

Tough end to a long year
Source: TeamVodafone

The TeamVodafone garage was filled with emotion this afternoon following a gut wrenching finale in Sydney where Jamie Whincup narrowly missed out on his third consecutive V8 Supercar Championship title.

Both TeamVodafone drivers put in a gutsy effort in today’s leg of the Sydney 500 with Whincup finishing fifth and teammate Craig Lowndes behind him in sixth.

Whincup, who started on the first row of the grid, pressed on against his rivals but a decision not to make a pit-stop during the last safety car period caused him to fall back in the race. Placing second in this year’s championship just 65 points behind winner James Courtney, the car #1 driver was clearly thwarted by today’s result but said he gave it everything he had.

“I was pretty disappointed to lose my number one spot. I gave it everything I had and I can be proud of my efforts,” Whincup stated. “It’s a little selfish of me but we did a good job this year and I can’t help but feel like the championship was stolen from me. “The car worked really well and I was happy with it but unfortunately deciding not to pit on the last safety car hindered us in the race,” he admitted.

Teammate Craig Lowndes broke the lap record with a swift 1:29.3901sec lap, .0559 secs faster than Mark Winterbottom’s time.

Despite his pace, Lowndes suffered a setback on the 66th lap after he slid through Winterbottom’s oil and into a wall. Finishing the championship in fourth place, Lowndes said the ending could have been better but was looking forward to a well earned break.

“It was a much better day today. We didn’t quite get the start we wanted but our strategy was good and we had excellent car balance towards the end. “It was a pity we got caught in Winterbottom’s oil at turn one, otherwise we could have had a much better result.

“I’m looking forward to a well earned break and recharging the batteries for next year,” he added.

TeamVodafone will be back in action next year for the Yas V8 400 in Abu Dhabi on February 10-12

TeamVodafone tough it out in Tasmania
Source: TeamVodafone

TeamVodafone’s experienced the lows of motorsport at Symmons Plains today with Jamie Whincup finishing 15th following a splash and dash in the final few laps of the race, while teammate Craig Lowndes was a forced DNF due to gear leaver failure earlier in the race.

A communication error saw the team put insufficient fuel in at the final stop for car #1, resulting in a five second fill and dropping him from fifth to 15th.

Whincup, who started on the fifth row of the grid for the race, was dissapointed by today's result, which was critical to his championship campaign.

“Once again we gave our opposition a get out of jail free card. We were all set to reclaim the lead which was my goal this weekend, but a silly error cost us the result we needed,” Whincup stated.

“The year’s already been tough and today it just got a little tougher. If there are any positives, I feel like we still have a sniff. “My thoughts are now for Sandown, where we need to regroup and settle the ship. I believe we are still the best team in pit-lane but today was definitely one of our lowest moments,” he said.

Lowndes who qualified third and got off the line well in the slippery conditions was comfortably travelling in second position, when forced to pit after the front bolt holding the gear connection to the gearbox sheared, reducing him to first gear for the remainder of lap 3.

The car #888 driver lost 19 laps in the race before re-joining the track, only to pit again on lap 38 due to the same issue. Lowndes was upset by today’s turn of events which has caused him to lose a spot on the championship ladder to Mark Winterbottom.

“We got a good start in the slippery conditions. The car was nice to drive and we really looked after the wet weather tyre in the early stages of the race,” Lowndes said.

“We succumbed to a gear leaver problem which the boys did a great job at fixing but we lost 19 laps in the race. We managed to get back out there, hoping to gain some championship points.

Unfortunately, the gear leaver problem returned and we had to retire from the race.

“I’m pretty upset as we had the speed and performance over the weekend, which has been sensational. We had the win yesterday and we were running second before the issues today. I give full credit to the team for their efforts and we’re looking forward to getting back on track next week,” he added.

Bittersweet Gold Coast 600
Source: TeamVodafone

It was a bittersweet day for TeamVodafone in what was the final leg of the Armor All Gold Coast 600 with a triumphant win by Jamie Whincup and Steve Owen while Craig Lowndes and Andy Priaulx finished tenth.

It was another day of carnage on the street circuit but Whincup and Owen, who started the race from the second row of the grid, managed to lead car #1 to victory following three successful pit-stops.

SP Tools Racing Shane Van Gisbergen put pressure on Whincup in the final laps but the defending V8 Supercar Champion kept his cool until the chequered flag fell and he claimed his 42nd championship win. It was all smiles for Whincup who thanked Steve Owen for his incredible performance across the past three endurance events

. “We had a great fight withVan Gisbergen towards the end there but it was all in good fun. That’s what competition is all about – two competitors going for the win,” he stated.

“Steve has done an incrediblejob as my co-driver and I’m really happy to give him a win. This is my home race so today’s win was certainly right up there and I was thrilled to be able to give TeamVodafone another victory.”

“We have come a long way from yesterday. The car was really slow and we basically had to reinvent the wheel. I’m just happy to get some points back and I have my fingers crossed for the Tassie event,” he added.

Team-mate Steve Owen, who celebrated his first championship win today, was thrilled with the result and said he was looking forward to his future. “We probably should have won at Phillip Island but unfortunately we didn’t. We also lost out on the lead at Bathurst, so today’s win was extremely rewarding,” he stated.

“This weekend has been a really difficult one and we worked hard into last night to improve the car and managed to turn it around for today."

“It’s been a pleasure to drive for TeamVodafone, who I believe are the best team. I’m not sure what the future holds for me but I’m looking forward to it,” he said.

International pilot, Andy Priaulx was pleased to receive the International Driver’s Trophy which he was awarded with for most accumulated points across the weekend.

The British driver said he had enjoyed his time with TeamVodafone and was happy to give Lowndes points towards the championship.

“I am really pleased to have been involved in this and I feel like I did the best I could do,” Priaulx said. “The race didn’t turn out quite the way we had planned but TeamVodafone still got a win, which is the main thing. I wish we got a better result but that’s racing,” he added.

The next race is the The Falken Tasmania Challenge will take place on November 12-14.

TeamVodafone score historic Bathurst 1-2 finish
Source: TeamVodafone

Craig Lowndes and Mark Skaife headed home Jamie Whincup and Steve Owen in a historic 1-2 finish for TeamVodafone at today’s Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000, the world’s most arduous touring car race.

All four drivers delivered flawless performances, managing myriad challenges throughout the 161-lap race to cross the line just 0.173 seconds apart.

The form finish had not been seen at Bathurst since 1984, making the result especially significant for the Brisbane-based team which has excelled in endurance race mode.

Today’s victory is the fourth for the team, and takes the tally of Mt Panorama wins between Lowndes and Skaife to 11. It also marks a significant milestone for Holden – 20 wins to the Commodore.

The regular-season pilot of car #888 delivered a super-human effort, climbing aboard his Commodore on lap 82 and fighting on for a gruelling 79 consecutive laps, just shy of half-race distance or 500km.

With his co-driver suffering from back pain after an earlier stint, Lowndes forged on, overcoming various safety car interruptions and a low-fuel warning.

A late safety car to retrieve a stricken competitor across the top of the mountain sheared Lowndes’ advantage to zero, and he held off gun teammate Jamie Whincup who put in storming drive to claim an eventual second place alongside Steve Owen.

A spritely Lowndes said he was running on pure adrenaline in the closing stages but said he would savour the victory with Skaife for a long time to come.

“This result really is a dream come true and an incredible effort for all at TeamVodafone who work so hard and are so passionate at what they do,” said Lowndes.

“It had been ten years since Mark (Skaife) and I had raced together and we showed we still had what it took at Phillip Island. To come back to Bathurst and do it all again is just amazing and a real credit to Mark after he stepped away from full-time racing over a year ago.

“It was a typical Bathurst race. We had to expect the unexpected and be on our toes to respond to strategy changes and the challenge with conserving fuel.

“This has really been a team effort and I’m very pleased for Jamie (Whincup) and Steve (Owen) to be able to finish a very close runner-up and deliver the team a deserved 1-2 victory.”

Today’s victory adds to Lowndes’ incredible feat earlier in the week when he smashed the standing lap record of Greg Murphy to assume the honour of the fastest man around Mt Panorama.

A series of solid stints from now six-time Bathurst winner Skaife contributed greatly to the duo’s victory, with experience paying dividends in mixed conditions, pressure pit stops and traffic.

Skaife was forced to give up his final run in the TeamVodafone Commodore after tweaking his back as he bounced awkwardly in his seat on the high-speed run down Conrod Straight.

He congratulated Lowndes on his effort and praised the team on its professionalism and dedication to engineer two cars equally capable of winning the 1000km showdown.

“It’s been an absolute privilege to be part of TeamVodafone and drive alongside Craig (Lowndes) at Phillip Island and Bathurst,” said Skaife.

“I stepped away from full-time racing bearing the pressures of being a team owner and it has been a completely different experience for me to be able to concentrate solely on my driving.

“Strategy-wise we were on the money and I was pleased to put in some solid stints early on, however it was Craig who delivered when it counted.

“I was in considerable pain after tweaking a muscle in my back around 5 laps from the end of my stint, I would have loved to have kept driving but wasn’t able to continue.

“The victory is a fantastic feeling and one I will remember for many years to come. To be part of the form finish is amazing, TeamVodafone truly is in a class of its own when it comes to the endurance races.”

Whincup and Owen executed a series of solid laps each to ensure they were in the running in the crucial closing stages.

The defending V8 Supercar champion, Whincup shadowed his teammate through each and every turn from the lap 156 restart and came close to capturing the race lead on a number of occasions.

A strong points haul for second-place sees the #1 Commodore pilot make back ground in the race for the title.

“Both of our cars came on strong at the end and it’s great to have the team get a 1-2 finish here at Bathurst,” said Whincup. “Full credit must go to the guys who worked tirelessly to prepare for this day all season long.

“We were in the running for the whole race and had the pace to challenge Craig but couldn’t find a way past in the end.

“There were a few hurdles along the way and we had to adapt our driving style to suit the weather, low fuel and tyre wear at the end of the stints.

“Steve did an amazing job all weekend long, it’s a good result for us to bounce back from after Phillip Island.”

Owen drove a strong race, maintaining pace and position in the #1 TeamVodafone Commodore and rarely putting a foot wrong.

He said he was proud to score a podium finish and looked forward to driving alongside Whincup at the upcoming Gold Coast 600km event.

“It’s been a fantastic day for us, we gave it our all and were in with a chance of winning right down to the final corner,” said Owen.

“Jamie drove a great race, as did Craig and Mark. TeamVodafone is a class act when it comes to endurance races and I’m just pleased to be a part of the 1-2.”

Today’s chapter of the ‘Great Race’ had just four safety car periods and considerably less attrition than previous years. 26 cars finished and 19 of those were on the lead lap.


1. Craig Lowndes / Mark Skaife
2. Jamie Whincup / Steve Owen
3. Cameron McConville / Garth Tander
4. Jason Bright / Matthew Halliday
5. James Courtney / Warren Luff
6. Greg Murphy / Allan Simonsen
7. Lee Holdsworth / David Besnard
8. Russell Ingall / Paul Morris
9. Mark Winterbottom / Luke Youlden
10. Michael Caruso / Greg Ritter

TeamVodafone break their Phillip Island Hoodoo
Source: TeamVodafone

They haven’t raced together in a decade but TeamVodafone’s legendary pairing of Craig Lowndes and Mark Skaife have taken out the first of the 2010 endurance rounds, claiming victory at today’s L&H 500 at Phillip Island.

The pair drove brilliantly together showing good pace and an alternative strategy. Pitting earlier than the TeamVodafone Commodore of Jamie Whincup and Steve Owen proved to be a winning combination.

This victory marks Lowndes’s 75th career win and Skaife’s 88th and they also recorded the fastest lap of the day with a time of 1:34.8014.

An ecstatic Craig Lowndes said it was great to finally get the top step after coming so close over the past two years.

“The whole team is delighted with the result. Both cars ran strong all weekend and when we got our last stop out of the way, Car # 888 was working really well,” he explained.

“Today was sensational. Mark was always going to start the race and it was good to see him get away with a clean position. After re-fuelling, it was a crucial time in the car for Mark and he did a fantastic job," Lowndes continued.

Semi-retired Skaife was thrilled with today’s performance and has continued his good form at Phillip Island, winning two out of three of his last encounters at the Island.

“I was more nervous than I’ve probably ever been,” Skaife admitted. “In those last couple of laps you’re just not sure what’s going to happen. I had the ultimate faith in Craig being able to do the job and he drove fantastically.”

“We’ve had a lot of fun since we announced we were going to pair up. The whole thing couldn’t have been better. It’s definitely a fairytale for me for sure.”

Whincup and Owen came very close to achieving a team 1-2, but a broken splitter mount caused a vibration to the engine oil cooler and Car #1 was forced to pit on lap 95. They lost nine laps in the pits and finished in 29th position.

Whincup was philosophical at the end of the day after coming so close to the team’s first enduro 1-2.

“It’s better that we learn about the splitter issue now rather than ten laps from the finish at Bathurst," Whincup lamented.

"The car feels sensational, Steve did a sterling job this weekend and the team takes good confidence heading towards the Grand Final of motor sport in Australia.

” Teammate Steve Owen said, “We had a great start and it was all going to plan with us leading for the majority of the race but unfortunately replacing the oil cooler caused us to lose too many laps. We’re not totally disappointed though as the car was quick and it gives us great confidence for Bathurst.”

Race 16 takes a sharp turn
Source: TeamVodafone

In what began as an optimistic day for TeamVodafone, ended in disappointment afer Jamie Whincup lost 13 laps due to a rear hydraulic brake-line failure and team-mate Craig Lowndes failed to complete the 72 lap race as a result of substantial front end damage.

The drivers celebrated a successful morning in Townsville after coming first and second respectively in Qualifying, however, the race saw a back-flip in results with Whincup finishing 24th and Lowndes 25th.

Whincup was leading the Race 16 of the V8 Supercar Championship Series before the incident, which cost him almost 15 minutes in the race.

"It's one of those things you can't be prepared for. I don't believe in bad luck but that's what it felt like," Whincup stated.

"It was devastating. The team worked so hard and the car was almost perfect. We certainly had control of the car when it came to pace.

"It has really spoiled our day and we've got some ground to make up in the Championship," he said.

Team-mate Lowndes was disillusioned by the DNF as he was not able to contribute to his Championship Points.

“The team did great work to get the car up and running this morning, and qualifying second was definitely a bounce back from yesterday," Lowndes admitted.

“I got a really good start but I fell back to third. I was following Garth Tander and having a good run and our pit stop went to plan. But unfortunately Tander stopped in the middle of Turn 11 and I had a collision with James Courtney.

“We put a hole in the radiator and there's a time frame we have to fix things in and, regrettably, we couldn't,” he continued.

TeamVodafone will head back to Brisbane to prepare for the L & H 500 Phillip Island, will be held on September 12 - 19.

Another New Zealand win for Whincup
Source: TeamVodafone

A dramatic final day of racing at Queensland Raceway saw TeamVodafone driver Craig Lowndes place fifth after a solid race, let down only by a longer than expected second pit stop.

Teammate and Series Champion Jamie Whincup did not finish the race after a mechanical failure, however remains leading the championship by 24 points ahead of today’s second race winner James Courtney.

A positive qualifying session today saw TeamVodafone’s Whincup and Lowndes qualifying first and third respectively after extensive data analysis from Saturday night.

Craig Lowndes explains “We had a good start, and it was a great race with the pace-setters until the second stop. The final track session was good fun and I had great car speed, catching five cars before I ran out of laps.

“Our strategy of when to stop was the right decision. The car felt good, it felt fast and it was looking after it’s tyres. Unfortunately the long stop proved costly.

“Our pace at the end of the race was sensational and I’m delighted with the progress of our car setup. I’m a lot more comfortable in the car now, and am really looking forward to Winton,” Lowndes said.

Jamie Whincup lamented after the race that the improvements found over the weekend were not recognised from the team’s rare mechanical failure.

“Obviously I am very disappointed with the outcome today, and it felt like quite a difficult weekend as we initially lacked good car speed and then the improvements of today were holding us in good stead for a podium finish.

“Leading when the engine let go is particularly painful, but such a rare occurrence is very difficult to prepare for.

“I’m comfortable that my engineer has conquered the soft tyre setup and I am looking forward to another weekend where we can use the information gained today,” he added.

TeamVodafone will now head away to Winton Motor Raceway in Victoria on May 14-16, which has proved in the past to be a reasonably successful track for the team.

Another New Zealand win for Whincup
Source: TeamVodafone

It was an all-Holden dias today with TeamVodafone’s Jamie Whincup topping the podium again to wrap up an eventful final day of racing at the ITM Hamilton 400.

After a slower than desired start behind Garth Tander, Whincup used the safety car on lap 3 as an opportunity to regroup. The restart two laps later allowed Whincup to launch his assault on Tander, overtaking on lap 10 for the lead.

Leading Tander by a staggering 8.5 seconds on lap 31, Whincup led the way for 50 of the 59 laps, which was the foundation for a great TeamVodafone win.

Whincup’s performance this weekend ensures he retains the championship lead as well as reinforcing TeamVodafone’s stronghold on the teams championship. Whincup describes how it feels to have his 39th career win under his belt.

“The car was pretty much perfect today. We had to keep our focus right to the very last lap but it was definitely a rocket ship.

“This is a great race, it’s a great event and obviously I’m biased from the success over the past two years, but nevertheless I am heading home a very happy man tonight.

“Overall, the team doesn’t have any huge strengths of note but it’s our lack of weaknesses that are making the difference this early in the season,” he said. Teammate Craig Lowndes was feeling positive and prepared after yesterday’s performance and qualified fifth fastest, but victory was not to be today. After spinning off on lap 25 the car stalled, dropping Lowndes to 18th place where he was forced to pit due to brake issues, a setback from which he struggled to overcome.

“I’m disappointed that we didn’t get the result that we probably deserved today. The changes that were made overnight really suited the conditions today and the car was a dream to drive.

“I experienced brake fade right from the start and obviously lost touch while the guys made the repairs.

“Overall I have a very strong car and walking away from this weekend with some solid points makes it far better than last year,” Lowndes said.

Today’s victory marks Holden’s ninth win in 10 years of New Zealand V8 rounds.

TeamVodafone will head home to prepare for the City of Ipswich 300 at Queensland Raceway on 30 April to 2 May.

LOWNDES CLAIMS THIRD STEP OF THE DAIS FOR V8 SUPERCAR GP CHALLENGE.
Source: TeamVodafone

After three solid top ten race finishes on the streets of Albert Park, TeamVodafone’s Craig Lowndes has secured the final podium placing for the BRC IMPCO V8 Supercar GP Challenge which concluded today.

While Lowndes, who started today’s third and final 13-lap V8 Supercar race from eighth on the grid, steadily worked his way up into fourth, teammate Jamie Whincup suffered an engine problem and was forced back to pits.

Lowndes joined Garth Tander and Shane Van Gisbergen on the podium and acknowledged the changes made to his TeamVodafone Commodore overnight made it a lot nicer to drive.

“We had a much better day today,” Lowndes explained. ”I was able to avoid wheel spin and I got what would have to be one of the best starts of my life.

“Jeremy (Moore) and I worked on car balance and the changes we made overnight made a huge difference, the car was much nicer to drive. We will leave Albert Park with a lot of confidence knowing we are really starting to make good progress with the car.

“I must admit I was the beneficiary of a couple of cars not finishing today’s race which allowed me to inherit the final podium position,” Lowndes added.

It was tough afternoon for teammate Jamie Whincup who was forced out of the race with engine problems whilst in the lead.

“I am clearly disappointed,” Whincup admitted. “I got a great start and took the lead then pulled out a second and a half gap on the opening lap.

“The engine dropped a cylinder and was making a terrible noise so I had to retire. “

“I don’t know what it is about Albert Park, I have been quick here in the past but just can’t seem to get on the podium. I wanted to put on a good show for the F1 fraternity and our sponsors who all flock to Albert Park for this event but that’s the way it goes,” he added.

TeamVodafone will enjoy a short Easter Break before preparing for the fourth event on the V8 Supercar calendar, the ITM400 at Hamilton in New Zealand from April 16-18.

A dramatic final day of racing in Adelaide has seen a loose body par cost TeamVodafone the chance of a win at the Clipsal 500
Source: TeamVodafone

Reigning champion Jamie Whincup had been battling for the lead throughout the 78-lap race when disaster struck on lap 72. Contact with James Courtney dislodged Car #1’s rear undertray, which then controversially fell off just as Jamie was shown the mechanical black flag.

Team mate Craig Lowndes also had an eventful race and after starting twelve places behind Whincup on the grid, he crossed the finish line two cars ahead.

As leader of the overall Championship standings, Jamie Whincup is disappointed to leave this year’s first race meet on Australian soil without a visit to the podium.

“I really don’t know what to say to be honest. It’s extremely painful to come away from this weekend with no real result after all the hard work we put in.

TeamVodafone will head home to prepare for the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne on March 25-28.

Source: TeamVodafone

Whincup completes a clean sweep in the Middle East

TeamVodafone’s Jamie Whincup has completed a clean sweep of the season opening races in the Middle East, winning Race 4 of the V8 Supercar Championship Series at the Bahrain International Circuit today.

It’s just a massive, massive effort from our team and one we are immensely proud of said Whincup. My preparation for each event is simple; I go out to do the best job I can. Some day’s your best isn’t good enough some days it is and the last two weekends our best has been better than anyone else.

I am looking forward to the Clipsal 500 in two weeks time. We will go there having already done these last two races which I think will definitely help us prepare for what will be one of the toughest events of the year,” he continued.

Team-mate Craig Lowndes endured an eventful race with a bad start, first turn incident and clutch problem all contributing to his twelfth place finish.

The V8 Supercar Championship Series teams will return to Australia tomorrow to begin preparations for the first of the Australian events – the Clipsal 500 Adelaide, which will be held at Adelaide Parklands on March 11 -1 4.

Source: TeamVodafone

The reigning champion, Jamie Whincup, who started from the front row of the grid, was virtually unchallenged over the 43 lap race and went on to take the chequered flag four seconds ahead of Mark Winterbottom.

TeamVodafone’s Commodores enjoyed the perfect debut and Whincup acknowledged his team had given him a rocketship this weekend.

“The car was bullet-proof, and we were sort of in control from the start,” Whincup said.

“I am almost in shock from what has panned out this weekend. Having a brand-new car, a brand-new circuit and to almost have a perfect weekend, well that’s good enough. It is just an amazing feeling."

“We have five or six little issues that you can’t see from the outside that we’re going to have to improve before too long, but it’s all pretty good – I can’t believe I’ve won two from two.”

Teammate Craig Lowndes, second in race one and fifth in race two sits third in the Championship standings with 249 points.

“Overall it was a great weekend for the team,” Lowndes said

“We have a little bit of work to do ahead of next weekend’s event in Bahrain but I am fortunate to be part of one of the most dedicated teams in pitlane, so I know no stone will be left unturned in terms of preparation.

The team will head straight to Bahrain to prepare for next weekend’s second round of the Series, the Gulf Air Desert 400.

Last month we were excited to announce that Eagers Holden is a proud supporting partner of TeamVodafone and Triple Eight Race Engineering, Queensland’s most successful, and favourite V8 Supercar team.

And on the streets around Brisbane right now there’s plenty of proof! Because TeamVodafone and Triple Eight Race Engineering has just taken delivery of a suite of Eagers Holden’s.

These vehicles include Colorado’s, through to the Holden Statesman Craig Lowndes enjoys driving as his ‘every day’ car, and Jamie Whincup’s luxurious Calais V Sportwagon. So when you see an Eagers Holden sticker on the Holden in front of you at the traffic lights – just have a peek at who might be in the driver’s seat!

Craig and Jamie recently visited the dealership in person, to collect their new vehicles, and were met by an excited Eagers Holden team who enjoyed the opportunity to meet & talk with two of Australia’s finest, not to mention most successful, V8 Supercar drivers.

There were also several customers lucky enough to be present in the showroom during Craig and Jamie’s visit, and the boys happily obliged with autographs and enjoyed talking to some keen Holden supporters.

So look out for Craig and Jamie on the road in an Eagers Holden, and stay tuned for more updates, and opportunities to meet Craig and Jamie at Eagers Holden and other events, during the 2010 V8 Supercar series - including the Racing test day to be held at Queensland Raceway on Tuesday 9th February.

The first (and biggest!) news for 2010 is the announcement that Eagers Holden is a new TeamVodafone and Triple Eight Race Engineering supporting team partner.

Eagers Holden’s partnership with Australia’s leading V8 Supercars team, is an exciting opportunity for the entire Eagers Holden team and all of our customers.

Queensland’s favourite V8 Supercar team, TeamVodafone, is driven by two of the most recognisable and successful drivers in Australian motorsport.

Craig Lowndes is a three-time Australian Touring Car Champion and four-time winner of the Bathurst 1000. Craig finished second on his debut at Bathurst in 1994, driving a Holden, and went on to win the Sandown 500 and Bathurst in the following years.

Over 15 years since his debut, Craig has returned to racing Holdens in 2010, bringing with him team-mate Jamie Whincup, with whom he won a historic, third-consecutive Bathurst 1000 in 2008.

Jamie, who in 2009 won his second consecutive V8 Supercars Driver’s Championship, has established himself as a major force in V8 Supercar racing in Australia. And together with Craig, he makes up arguably the most powerful driver team duo Australian V8 Supercar racing fans have ever seen.

Eagers Holden is proud to supply Craig, Jamie and TeamVodafone with a selection of new Holden vehicles, to be used for both official team duties and as every day ‘drive cars’ for team members. Keep a look out for Craig and Jamie on the road in an Eagers Holden, especially if you live on Brisbane’s north side, where TeamVodafone’s headquarters are located at Banyo.

Eagers Holden looks forward to inviting you to meet Craig and Jamie in 2010 at selected dealership events, at the all-new Eagers Holden supersite at Windsor. You’ll also have the opportunity to keep up Team Vodafone’s progress in 2010’s V8 Supercars series via the Eagers Holden website. Stay tuned for details to follow in the coming months.

Eagers Holden and TeamVodafone; going one better – together - in 2010.