Jamie Whincup has taken out the season finale at the Coates Hire Newcastle 500, but it was not enough to prevent Shell V-Power Racing taking the teams’ title.
Polesitter Whincup held off a rejuvenated Fabian Coulthard, who scored his second podium of the weekend to head into the summer break on a high.
Coulthard’s championship-winning teammate Scott McLaughlin ran fourth, with Shane van Gisbergen recovering to seventh after running a three-stop strategy from 21st on the grid.
Joining Whincup and Coulthard on the podium was Tim Slade in a feel-good story as the Brad Jones Racing driver stares down the barrel of being without a full-time drive in 2020.
But it was Whincup who bounced back from an error in yesterday’s race to take full momentum into the off-season with his fifth victory of the year, equalling van Gisbergen’s mark.
It also was the Red Bull Holden Racing Team’s seventh straight race victory, having taken out every start since McLaughlin’s Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000 triumph.
“I'm really proud of everyone, they fought hard until the end,” Whincup said.
“We didn't have that much performance at the start of the year, but we chipped away and two wins this weekend for the team gives us confidence going into next year that we can certainly be contenders.
“Hopefully we can take it to them next year, but congratulations to Scotty, he did a great a job.”
Coulthard meanwhile was pleased to help deliver the teams’ title to Shell V-Power Racing.
“We came here with a goal and that was to wrap up the teams’ championship and our results over the weekend have done enough to do that,” Coulthard said.
“Our boys at Shell V-Power Racing did an unbelievable job and gave us both great cars, so it's a credit to them.”
McLaughlin added he is “so glad to finally be able to celebrate with my team.”
