The Armor All Gold Coast 600 wrapped up its first day in Paradise as drivers came in with heavy hearts and hunger for a race victory, but all in honour of a lost brother in Dan Wheldon.
Just a week after the tragic death of Indycar champ Dan Wheldon, the V8 Supercar drivers and their internation co-stars held a moment silence as the racing family lost one of its brothers. The drivers branding their cars and helmets with Dan's name and his racing number #77. However, this weekend is not about championship points, victory or defeat - its truly about (this year) remembering him. However, underneath all the emotion and heavy hearts that came to the streets of Surfers Paradise championship points needed to be won or lost.
Triple Eight had a bittersweet day while Ford Performance Racing and a young rookie by the name of James Moffat had days that they will never forget. With weather threatening and fans partying Gold Coast style it was Jamie Whincup and his international co-star Sebastein Bourdais that would start from pole poistion and take the race win. Craig Lowndes and Andy Prialux had a horrible day after electrical problems saw them sidelined and scrattching heads. Jamie had a lot of blue coming his way, as FPR proved they have solved their soft tyre woes with a second and third place finish. James Moffat deserving of an honourable mention as he showed why he is as good as his legendary father.
For others the day was one they'd rather forget and make-up for it on Sunday's race. After qualifying well, Alex Davison and Marc Lieb's bad day begun right from green light and in the end being shown the wall by Richard Lyons. Many more were to be victims of the Surfers Paradise street circuit and surely there will be plenty more tomorrow.
Jamie Whincup can rest easy tonight as he finds himself leading the championship, again, by 50 points over his Triple Eight teammate Craig Lowndes, who had reign of the championship after Bathurst.
TOP THREE RESULTS:
1. Jamie Whincup/Sebastein Bourdais (Triple Eight)
2. Will Davison/Mika Salo (Ford Performance Racing)
3. Mark Winterbottom/Richard Lyons (Ford Performance Racing)
Will have all the news from tomorrow's race right here on H.Small's Mibba Blog.
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