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Team Vodafone's Craig Lowndes - Source: Photosport -
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Holden driver Michael Caruso has snared his first V8 Supercar race win with victory in a gruelling 69-lap event at Darwin's Hidden Valley on Sunday.
Caruso's win in the second race of the Triple Crown event was Garry Rogers' Motorsport's first victory since Lee Holdsworth won at Oran Park in 2007, a wait of 62 races.
But it was far from easy for the 26-year-old who had to hold off a fast-finishing Alex Davison, who used a new set of sprint tyres in the closing laps to nearly reign in Caruso.
Craig Lowndes finished third in his Ford to celebrate his 35th birthday with a podium finish.
Caruso had been cruising to victory but a late safety car brought the field together and allowed Davison to overtake Lowndes, fourth-place Rick Kelly, fifth-placed Garth Tander and sixth-placed Paul Dumbrell on his way to second place.
Championship leader Jamie Whincup could only manage a 10th placed finish after starting the race 13th, but has extended his lead in the title race with rival Will Davison suffering late drama to finish 18th.
Sunday's race was a real test for drivers with temperatures well above 30 degrees on the track and the 200km distance the furthest ever for a V8 Supercar event at Hidden Valley.
