Frosty almost speechless after historic Bathurst win

MARK Winterbottom said he was almost lost for words after breaking his drought to win his first Bathurst 1000 in a thrilling race at Mt Panorama yesterday.

Winterbottom held off V8s Supercars championship leader and reigning Bathurst champion Jamie Whincup as the Ford factory team won its first Bathurst crown since Alan Moffat's victory in 1977.

Whincup applied the pressure from lap 138, the final pitstop of a mandatory seven for each car to cater for newcomer Nissan and Mercedes-Benz's fuel economy issues.

The Red Bull Racing Australia driver also launched an amazing last-gasp push on the final lap but Winterbottom kept his cool to hold on for the win.

"I have been trying so hard," Winterbottom said.

"For 10 years I've been coming here. Actually four-years-old was my first trip to the mountain.

"To finally win it, the battle at the end, the way we did it, to do it with Richo and to do it with FPR is just amazing. I am speechless almost."

Whincup said he was always going to give it a go on the final lap.

"I thought I may as well have a crack. That's what Bathurst is all about," he said.

"We got beaten by a class act today. I'm happy, I did everything I could."

Whincup's Red Bull teammate Craig Lowndes finished third after a great battle for the minor placings with Garth Tander, James Bright and David Reynolds.

The pairing of Lee Holdsworth and Craig Baird were the best-placed of the Mercedes-Benz drivers, crossing in 14th while Nissan drivers James Moffat and Taz Douglas finished 18th.

Bathurst top 10

1 M Winterbottom/S.Richards Ford

06:11:27.93

2 J.Whincup/P.Dumbrell Holden

06:11:28.41

3 C.Lowndes/W.Luff Holden

06:11:34.17

4 G.Tander/N.Percat Holden

06:11:35.03

5 J.Bright/A.Jones Holden

06:11:42.07

6 S.Pye/P.Morris Holden

06:11:48.19

7 W.Davison/S.Owen Ford

06:11:57.20

8 S.McLaughlin/J.Perkins Holden

06:12:11.27

9 D.Reynolds/D.Canto Ford

06:12:14.00

10 A.Priaulx/M.Ekstrom Holden

06:12:16.21