Whincup back to top form at Phillip Island 

Source: PhotosportJaime Whincup and Craig Lowndes

Ford's Jamie Whincup has bounced back from a dismal Gold Coast round to win the first race at the Phillip Island 300.
  
Whincup was able to extend his lead in the championship over Holden's Will Davison who finished in second spot, 1.8seconds back.
  
Rick Kelly's Holden was third ahead of Garth Tander, also in a Commodore.
  
Whincup lost serious ground to Davison at the Surfers Paradise weekend and went into the third last round with a slender 32-point lead.
  
He trailed Davison at the start but leap-frogged him at the pitstop to take the lead and was never headed.
  
The safety car was called out on lap 15 which bunched the field up, allowing Davison to close up on the rear of Whincup.
  
As racing quickly resumed Whincup spurted away from Davison who in turn was able to keep the Holden of Rick Kelly at by.
  
Jason Bright's Ford had pole position for the race after being quickest in the Top Ten Shootout but he was swamped at the start as Davison led into the first turn.
  
Bright was then relegated to the last pack in the field when he ran wide off the track during the first lap and was never able to recover.
  
Craig Lowndes and Todd Kelly were engaged in their own personal battle with just seven laps remaining, which ended badly for both of them and forced the safety car intervention.
  
Lowndes squeezed his Ford past Kelly's Holden and the pair raced neck-and-neck down the main straight before entering turn two together and touching, sending both cars off the tarmac.
  
Kelly was stranded in the gravel trap but Lowndes rejoined the race, albeit down in 21st spot.