KEY POINTS:
It'd be a brave man who'd bet against Australian V8 Supercar driver Jamie Whincup getting another couple of wins in the final round of the series at Oran Park, Sydney this weekend.
But although the 25-year-old Ford driver has one hand firmly on the trophy after 15 race
wins this season, the series is not in the bag yet.
Motor racing, like most other sports, has a habit of throwing a curve ball at the last minute.
Yesterday Whincup topped the timesheets in practice for the final round of the series at Oran Park. He clocked a 1me 09.5125s fastest lap, ahead of Holden's Russell Ingall (1:09.5920) and Ford's Craig Lowndes (1:09.6215).
While Whincup needs only 67 points to win his first championship, he's not focusing on the main prize, rather just getting through the weekend. However, it does look odds on, bar a major mishap, he'll add a V8 title to go alongside his three Bathurst wins.
"I can't think like I've won the championship already but I've got a massive opportunity this weekend," said Whincup. "We come in with a 233-point lead with a maximum of 300 up for grabs. We're just treating it like any other event so there's no reason we can't do the business."
Whincup has been on fire over the last three rounds, leaving everyone else in his wake. He and his team have got his Ford working pretty much better than any other outfit's car. He's won the last four rounds of the series, five in total for the year.
"We've got a great car and team and this is the last time we come to Oran Park. The track has a lot of history and it's a real driver's circuit with a lot of character so to win the round would be a huge achievement. So of course I'm going to hit the track and try and win without doubt," said Whincup.
"I like the track because the harder you attack it, especially the ripple strips and the kerbs, the faster you go. It makes it more enjoyable for the drivers, especially in qualifying with green [new] tyres on."
The Triple Eight team has been championship bridesmaid three years in a row, twice with Lowndes and once with Whincup, and are desperate to get that monkey off their back.
Whincup has been gracious in his praise for his teammate Lowndes and the help he's received from him towards the end of the season.
Both drivers are at the top of their game at the moment, with Whincup having the edge. When Lowndes realised this wasn't his year, he has done everything possible and played wingman for Whincup.
"Our main focus is to clinch the championship and if we can do that in the first race all the better," said Lowndes. "The second thing we've got going is the team championship, which we're leading at the moment, so we've both got to finish as high as possible to make sure we win that as well."
For the last three years Lowndes has finished in the top three, so while not only looking out for his teammate, he'll want to steal a march on Garth Tander .
