SYDNEY - Dick Johnson Racing simply call themselves "The Team" and you'll get no arguments from new V8 Supercar champion James Courtney his garage isn't the best around.
Dogged by a reported falling out between co-owners Dick Johnson and Charlie Schwerkolt that threatened to derail Courtney's shot at de-throning two-time
champion Jamie Whincup, DJR held together to deliver the 30-year-old the crown at Sydney's Olympic Park on Sunday.
Holden's Lee Holdsworth, who earlier in the day had made it two pole positions from two in the weekend, snared his first race win in two years after Shane Van Gisbergen's Falcon ran out of fuel when the Kiwi was leading on the last of 74-laps.
Holdsworth came in ahead of Ford Performance Racing's Steven Richards, while Van Gisbergen held on to bring his sputtering car across the line in third place.
But it was Courtney's 14th place that had the crowd on its feet, the result easily enough to ensure he finished ahead of Whincup on the championship standings.
After rebuilding his battered Ford in Saturday's race in time to send him out and grab a vital 60 championship points, Courtney's team delivered again on Sunday when a botched early pitstop caused a few nervous moments.
Needing to simply finish 22nd or better to claim the crown, Courtney found himself below that mark when his crew couldn't remove a right rear tyre.
But a quick, smart stop under a safety car a few laps later fixed the problem and put Courtney back on track.
"I can't speak enough of the guys, this championship belongs to every one of the guys that works at Dick Johnson Racing," he said.
"It's been a pretty crazy time and no way has it sunk in yet, more relief at the moment.
"Today wasn't without its dramas ... I didn't think this year was ever going to end, it just kept going and going with dramas and twists and turns. I'm just unbelievably relieved that it's over."
Van Gisbergen was feeling a different emotion however after coming so close to his first V8 Supercar win, only to run out of fuel with the finish line in sight.
"To be so close to a win is quite devastating for not only myself but also for Ford, SP (Tools, sponsor) and everyone, so it's quite gutting," he said.
"But I was trying pretty hard there at the end and saving fuel ... to be on the podium is pretty cool."
Holdsworth, whose only previous race win was at Winton in 2008, said the win was a reward for the entire Garry Rogers Motorsport outfit.
"I really feel we deserved this one," he said.
"Our team has been pushing really hard this weekend ... to get two pole positions and have a perfect day today with the race win is pretty special."
Courtney's win was DJR's seventh driver's championship in its 30-year history and first since John Bowe in 1995.
It may well be the last act for Courtney with the team given he's believed to have signed a deal with Holden Racing Team for 2011, but he appears to leave with no hard feelings.
"It's great a family team can still topple the giants," he said.
- AAP
James Courtney smokes the bags of his worse-for-wear Falcon after winning the V8 Supercars title. Photo / Getty Images
SYDNEY - Dick Johnson Racing simply call themselves "The Team" and you'll get no arguments from new V8 Supercar champion James Courtney his garage isn't the best around.
Dogged by a reported falling out between co-owners Dick Johnson and Charlie Schwerkolt that threatened to derail Courtney's shot at de-throning two-time
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