FPR leads V8 Supercar Championship

Frosty finishes 2nd for the Round at Sandown

Mark Winterbottom has pulled out a 52 point lead in the V8 Supercar Championship Series after finishing second at Sandown International this weekend.

The result, along with team-mate Steve Richards' 13th place, means Ford Performance Racing also remains ahead of Triple 8 in the team championship after five rounds.

The racing was hard work for both drivers, who struggled with grip in the greasy conditions. Light rain fell throughout the day's first race, accentuating the FPR Falcon's under steer at certain parts of the track. Frosty struggled to hold position and slipped to sixth from second on the grid. Richo made up seven places over the 39-lap race but was left battle-scarred after some fierce mid-field racing.

The day's second race saw a much stronger set-up and Winterbottom launched off the grid to run second after three laps. A win looked likely after the 27-year-old leap-frogged James Courtney on the pit stop, but Jamie Whincup returned the favour to snatch his second win of the weekend. Richo finished ninth.

The V8 Supercar Championship Series now heads to Darwin, where it will race again in three weeks' time.

Mark Winterbottom
#5 Orrcon Ford Credit FPR Falcon

'It's the first time FPR has led the championship and we're excited about how we're going. It's a great feeling; it's an achievement in itself.

'The team did a great job; they play a massive role in the whole scheme of it and I'm very pleased to be with such a great bunch. Obviously the car was close to good enough but Jamie [Whincup] had a solid weekend.

'Towards the end of race three there were spots of rain hitting the window and it was nearly dark so the risk of going off was quite high. It wasn't dangerous but it was just hard to judge how wet it was.'

Steve Richards
#6 Castrol FPR Falcon

'The car was good but we just didn't have good enough drive exiting some corners to be in the right position to make a pass. It was very fast on its own for one lap, but when you were behind you couldn't make any impression. That's the way it goes. We've got to have a weekend where luck flies our flag.'

Tim Edwards
Team Principal

'It was a fantastic drive from both guys and what a great feeling to be leading the championship! Even though, it's still a bitter sweet result. Steve Richards could quite easily have been up there with Mark.'

Sandown 400 - 2008 V8 Supercar Championship Series
Round 5 - Race 2
1 Craig Lowndes 888
2 Shane Van Gisbergen SBR
3 Jamie Whincup 888
4 James Courtney SBR
5 Steven Johnson DJR
6 Mark Winterbottom #5 Orrcon Ford Credit FPR Falcon
16 Steve Richards #6 Castrol FPR Falcon

Sandown 400 - 2008 V8 Supercar Championship Series
Round 5 - Race 3
1 Jamie Whincup 888
2 Mark Winterbottom #5 Orrcon Ford Credit FPR Falcon
3 James Courtney SBR
4 Shane Van Gisbergen SBR
5 Todd Kelly Perkins Motorsport
6 Russell Ingall PMM
9 Steve Richards #6 Castrol FPR Falcon

MEETING POINTS REPORT
1 Jamie Whincup
2 Mark Winterbottom
3 James Courtney
13 Steve Richards

SERIES POINTS REPORT - DRIVER
1 Mark Winterbottom 1124
2 Garth Tander 1072
3 Jamie Whincup1062
6 Steve Richards 839

SERIES POINTS REPORT - TEAM
1 FPR 1963
2 888 1959
3 HRT 1702