TeamVodafone earns series teams title in Sandown race 1

TeamVodafone survived wet weather to be crowned Teams Champion

After low visibility caused several safety cars periods to plague Saturday’s 39-lap race, TeamVodafone duo Craig Lowndes and Jamie Whincup battled the weather and finished sixth and 13th respectively.

The TeamVodafone duo’s result was enough to secure TeamVodafone the 2011 Teams Championship.

While wet weather lashed Qualifying, Whincup braved the conditions and qualified Car #88 on the front row.

Lowndes struggled to get a good lap out of the tyres, qualifying 27th for the 39-lap race.

Whincup struggled for grip off the start and lost a couple of spots, the TeamVodafone driver reclaimed second but lost multiple positions during later stages of the race finishing 13th.

Jamie Whincup celebrating his victory at Symmons Plains in the Tasmania Challenge

Photo by: Edge Photographics

Lowndes showed true grit throughout the race, starting at the back of the field and using each of the safety cars to manoeuvre up the order. By race end, the TeamVodafone #888 driver made up 21 places to finish in sixth position.

Whincup still remains ahead in the V8 Supercar Championship points standings, 158 points clear of teammate Lowndes.

However, TeamVodafone ended as the hero of the day, with 1,111 points separating ourselves from second position in the Team Championship standings, thereby claiming the V8 Supercars Teams Championship for the consecutive year.

The Norton 360 Sandown Challenge will conclude tomorrow with Qualifying for Race 26 at 11.15am (AEDST) ahead of the final 65-lap race of the weekend at 3.35pm (AEDST).