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Jamie Whincup - Source: Photosport -
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Defending V8 Supercar champion Jamie Whincup has started his title defence in style as his nearest rivals crashed around him in the opening race of the season at the Clipsal 500.
Whincup got off to a poor start from pole position, sliding to fifth as several of his rivals got the jump on him by the first corner.
But the Ford driver fought his way back from fifth place on the opening lap to take the lead by lap 19 of the 78-lap race around the Adelaide street circuit.
Once the dust settled following pit stops, the 26-year-old emerged in front again and was never headed.
Holden driver Lee Holdsworth finished second, with new Holden Racing Team recruit Will Davison an encouraging third on his HRT debut.
Making Whincup's day even better was disaster for several of his major championship rivals.
Ford driver Mark Winterbottom was pushed well back in the field after a mid-race tangle with Shane van Gisbergen left his car with substantial front-end damage.
Holden's Garth Tander had his race ended with nine laps remaining - black-flagged with his car blowing copious amounts of smoke and losing oil.
Then Whincup's Team Vodafone teammate Craig Lowndes spun out while sitting second with four laps left and finished one position behind Winterbottom in 19th place.
And on a steamy day with temperatures in the mid-30s, Ford driver James Courtney needed medical attention after the driving suit designed to keep his body cool failed mid-race.
Whincup will also start from pole position for race two of the weekend on Sunday.
But new rules in which qualifying positions count for all races at a meeting will mean a reprieve for those who found trouble on Saturday.
