Hard crash leaves Slade last at Homebush

Tim Slade picked up his 5^th last-place finish of his career when his #47 Supercheap Auto Holden was involved in a hard single-car crash that ended his race after 8 of the race's 74 laps. The finish came in Slade's 105^th round start.

Steve Owen started the race in the rear in the #6 Pepsi Max Ford, however by the end of lap 1 Tim Blanchard in the #3 Cooldrive Holden had fallen to the rear after pitting on lap 1, where he stayed until calamity strikes on lap 11 when Tim Slade in the #47 Supercheap Auto Holden suffered a jammed throttle, slamming into the wall in the second-to-final corner, bringing out the first caution of the race.

Next to fall out was Steve Owen in the #6 Pepsi Max Ford after a turgid race, firstly tangling with Alex Davison in the #4 Wendy's Mercedes, then forced to the garage for the first time on lap 50 with electrical issues and although Owen got back out, multiple trips into the garage dropped Owen 13 laps down. Car #6 was eventually KO'ed by suspension failure on lap 68. The final car to retire from the race occurred with just 2 laps to go when Chris Pither in the unsponsored #111 Super Black Racing Ford tangled with David Wall in the #34 Wilson Security/Valvoline Volvo, James Moffat in the #99 Faresin Nissan and Tim Blanchard in the #3 Cooldrive Holden, destroying car #111. Rounding out the bottom five was Dale Wood in the #21 ADVAM/GB Galvanising Holden after a mid-race crash cost him five laps and Jack Perkins after late-race engine issues dropped him down five laps to the leaders.

The bottom five

Tim Slade	8 Laps	Crash
Steve Owen	52 Laps	Suspension
Chris Pither	72 Laps	Crash
Dale Wood	69 Laps	Running
Jack Perkins	69 Laps	Running

Driver's Championship

Scott McLaughlin: 6 (Driver's Champion)

Nick Percat: 4

Ashley Walsh, James Moffat: 3

Will Davison, Andre Heimgartner, Todd Kelly, Lee Holdsworth, David Wall: 2

Garth Tander, Chazz Mostert, Jason Bright, Chris Pither, Sebastien Bourdais, Jack LeBrocq, Craig Lowndes, David Reynolds, Tim Blanchard, Steve Owen, Tim Slade: 1

Team's Championship

Gary Rodgers Motorsports: 8 (Team's champion)

Lucas Dumbrell Motorsports: 6

Erebus Motorsport: 5

Nissan Motorsports: 3

Super Black Racing, Brad Jones Racing, Jack Daniel's Racing, Charlie Schwerkolt Racing, Prodrive Racing Australia, Supercheap Auto Racing: 2

Holden Racing Team, Red Bull Racing Australia, Rod Nash Racing/Prodrive Racing Australia: 1

Manufacturer's Championship:

Holden: 11 (Manufacturer's champion)

Volvo: 8

Mercedes: 6

Nissan, Ford: 5

Quick announcement: I'm going to change the number of round starts a driver has to the number of race starts. It makes it much easier to keep track.

Engine sensor failure leaves Owen last at Homebush

Steve Owen picked up his 8th last-place finish of his career when his #6 Pepsi Max Ford retired with Engine failure after 8 of the race's 27 laps. The finish came in Owen's 98th round start.

Tim Slade in the #47 Supercheap Auto Holden started the race in the rear, however by lap 3 Tim Blanchard in the #3 Cooldrive Holden had fallen to the rear, which he held until lap 8 when Steve Owen in the #6 Pepsi Max Ford fell to the rear, with disaster befalling car #6 on lap 10, ? leaving the car stranded on the exit of turn 1 and triggering the first/only safety car of the race.

The only other retirement of the race was James Moffat in the #99 Faresin Nissan, who crashed over the kerbs in the 2-3-4 chicane on lap 18, tearing the right-front wheel out of car #99, knocking Moffat out of the race. Rounding out the bottom five was Jason Bright in the #8 BOC Holden, after losing 2 laps with rear suspension issues, Alex Davison in the #4 Wendy's Mercedes and Tim Blanchard in the #3 Cooldrive Holden.

The Bottom Five

Steve Owen	8 Laps	Engine
James Moffat	17 Laps	Suspension
Jason Bright	35 Laps	Running
Alex Davison	37 Laps	Running
Tim Blanchard	37 Laps	Running

Driver's Championship

Scott McLaughlin: 6 (Driver's Champion)

Nick Percat: 4

Ashley Walsh, James Moffat: 3

Will Davison, Andre Heimgartner, Todd Kelly, Lee Holdsworth, David Wall: 2

Garth Tander, Chazz Mostert, Jason Bright, Chris Pither, Sebastien Bourdais, Jack LeBrocq, Craig Lowndes, David Reynolds, Tim Blanchard, Steve Owen: 1

Team's Championship

Gary Rodgers Motorsports: 8 (Team's champion)

Erebus Motorsport, Lucas Dumbrell Motorsports: 5

Nissan Motorsports: 3

Super Black Racing, Brad Jones Racing, Jack Daniel's Racing, Charlie Schwerkolt Racing, Prodrive Racing Australia: 2

Holden Racing Team, Red Bull Racing Australia, Rod Nash Racing/Prodrive Racing Australia: 1

Manufacturer's Championship:

Holden: 10 (Manufacturer's champion)

Volvo: 8

Mercedes: 6

Nissan, Ford: 5

McLaughlin seals title after Blanchard finishes last at Homebush

Tim Blanchard picked up his 2^nd last-place finish of his career when his #3 Cooldrive Holden finished under power, 5 laps down in the first race at Homebush at Sydney. The finish came in Blanchard's 36^th race start.

Craig Lowndes started the race in the rear after a qualifying crash in the #888 Red Bull Racing Australia Holden, however contact on the first corner of the first lap put James Mofatt in the #99 Faresin Nissan collided with Jamie Whincup in the #1 Red Bull Racing Australia Holden, damaging the steering on Moffat's car and sending car #99 to the rear, 2 laps down.

Moffat stayed in last until lap 19 when Tim Blanchard in the #3 Cooldrive Holden headed to the garage with engine issues on lap 19, dropping to the rear on lap 22. Blanchard returned to the track in lap 24, 4 laps down.

Rounding out the bottom five was Chris Pither in the unsponsored #111 Super Black Racing Holden, who dropped a lap late in the race, Garth Tander in the #2 - Holden pitted a second time on lap 9 with a right-rear wheel nut failure and Alex Davison in the #4 Wendy's Mercedes.

Statistics

With Nick Percat not participating in the final round, Scott Mclaughlin has taken out the 2015 Australian V8 LASTCAR Driver's Championship. Additionally, Gary Rodgers Motorsport has taken out the 2015 Australian V8 LASTCAR Team's Championship, with McLaughlin on 6 last-place finishes and David Wall on 2 last-place finishes.

The Bottom Five

Tim Blanchard	32 Laps	Running
James Moffat	34 Laps	Running
Chris Pither	36 Laps	Running
Garth Tander	37 Laps	Running
Alex Davison	37 Laps	Running

Driver's Championship

Scott McLaughlin: 6 (Driver's Champion)

Nick Percat: 4

Ashley Walsh, James Moffat: 3

Will Davison, Andre Heimgartner, Todd Kelly, Lee Holdsworth, David Wall: 2

Garth Tander, Chazz Mostert, Jason Bright, Chris Pither, Sebastien Bourdais, Jack LeBrocq, Craig Lowndes, David Reynolds, Tim Blanchard: 1

Team's Championship

Gary Rodgers Motorsports: 8 (Team's champion)

Erebus Motorsport: 5

Lucas Dumbrell Motorsports: 4

Nissan Motorsports: 3

Super Black Racing, Brad Jones Racing, Jack Daniel's Racing, Charlie Schwerkolt Racing: 2

Holden Racing Team, Prodrive Racing Australia, Red Bull Racing Australia, Rod Nash Racing/Prodrive Racing Australia: 1

Manufacturer's Championship:

Holden: 10 (Manufacturer's champion)

Volvo: 8

Mercedes: 6

Nissan: 5

Ford: 4

Several updates to LASTCAR standing heading into Final Round.

With 1 round left to go, I have gone over several drivers and have found that I have inconsistencies with results and what I reported on.

The first is the first race at Darwin, where I had reported that Fabian Coulthard had picked up his 8th last-place finish of his career. However I have since checked the results and it turns out the Scott McLaughlin was classified as last, moving Scott McLaughlin's last-place total count for the season to six, and the number of last-place finishes acquired by Gary Rodgers Motorsports to 8, and McLaughlin's career last-place finish tally to 10. Additionally, Scott McLaughlin has 7 appearances in the bottom five. The only driver who can claim the title from Scott McLaughlin outright is Nick Percat, however Percat must finish last in all three of the final races at Homebush.

James Moffat and Lee Holdsworth are the only two contenders left for the 2015 Australian LASTCAR championship. Moffat, Holdsworth and Percat all have six appearances in the bottom five, with McLaughlin at seven bottom-five appearances. At least one of Moffat or Holdsworth will be eliminated at the conclusion of the first race, and both will be eliminated if neither finish last.

Scott McLaughlin can wrap up the 2015 Australian V8 LASTCAR championship as early as the conclusion of race 1 if McLaughlin finishes last in the first race and Nick Percat fails to finish in the bottom five.

If none of David Wall, Scott McLaughlin, Will Davison or whomever is going to be running car #4 in the final round of the championship fail to finish last, then Gary Rodgers Motorsport will clinch the 2015 Australian V8 LASTCAR Team's Championship, with the nearest team, Erebus Motorsports, being 2-last place finishes behind Gary Rodgers Motorsports.

Holden has already clinched the Manufacturer's championship for 2015.

So unlike the Australian V8 Supercar Championship, which will go down to the final race, the 2015 Australian V8 LASTCAR Championship could very well be decided in the first race of the final round.

Holden claims Manufacturer's title after crash leaves Holdsworth last.

Lee Holdsworth picked up his 11^th last-place finish of his career when his #18 FUCKS/Beko/W547 Holden was involved in a multi-car incident on the opening lap of the final race at Philip Island. The finish came in Holdsworth's 153^rd round start.

Tim Blanchard in the #3 Cooldrive Holden started the race in the rear, but at turn 2 Dale Wood in the #21 GB Galvanising/ADVAM Holden, James Courtney in the #22 SP Tools Holden and Lee Holdsworth in the #18 FUCHS/Beko/W547 tangled, dealing heavy damage to car #18, forcing Holdsworth to the garage and to the rear. Dale Wood would continue but further issues in car #21 left Wood in the bottom five.

Rounding out the bottom five was Jason Bright in the #8 BOC Holden after a drive-through penalty for an unsafe release on lap 2, Michael Caurso in the #23 Nismo Nissan after a drive-through penalty for wheels spinning during a pit-stop and Paul Dumbrell in the #222 Repair Management Australia Holden after a late-race mistake dropped him behind Cameron Waters in the #6 Pepsi Max Ford for 21^st.

The Bottom Five

Lee Holdsworth	0 Laps	Crash
Dale Wood	43 Laps	Running
Jason Bright	44 Laps	Running
Michael Caruso	45 Laps	Running
Paul Dumbrell	45 Laps	Running

Driver's Championship

Scott McLaughlin: 5

Nick Percat: 4

Ashley Walsh, James Moffat, Lee Holdsworth: 3

Will Davison, Andre Heimgartner, Todd Kelly, David Wall: 2

Garth Tander, Chazz Mostert, Fabian Coulthard, Jason Bright, Chris Pither, Sebastien Bourdais, Jack LeBrocq, Craig Lowndes, David Reynolds, Dean Canto: 1

Team's Championship

Gary Rodgers Motorsports: 7

Erebus Motorsport: 6

Lucas Dumbrell Motorsports: 4

Nissan Motorsports, Charlie Schwerkolt Racing: 3

Super Black Racing, Brad Jones Racing, Jack Daniel's Racing: 2

Holden Racing Team, Prodrive Racing Australia, Red Bull Racing Australia, Rod Nash Racing/Prodrive Racing Australia: 1

Manufacturer's Championship:

Holden: 11

Volvo: 7

Mercedes: 6

Nissan: 5

Ford: 4

Driver change can't save Erebus as Canto finishes last at the Island.

David Reynolds picked up his 6^th last-place finish of his career when his #55 Bottle-O Ford finished under power, on the lead lap in the first race at Philip Island. The finish came in Reynolds' 95^th round start.

Dean Canto, substituting for Ashley Walsh in the #4 Wendy’s Mercedes started the race in the rear, however turn 2 chaos left Tim Blanchard in the #3 Cooldrive Holden off the road and to the rear. On lap 2 Shane Van Gisbergen in the #97 STIX Holden spun out David Reynolds in the #55 Bottle-O Ford at Siberia, dropping Reynolds to the rear, where he remained for the rest of the race.

Rounding out the bottom five was Chris Pither in the unsponsored #111 Super Black Racing Ford substituting for Andre Heimgartner, David Wall in the #34 Wilson Security/Valvoline Mercedes, Dean Canto in the #4 Wendy's Mercedes and Paul Dumbrell in the #222 Repair Management Australia Holden.

The Bottom Five

David Reynolds	14 Laps	Running
Chris Pither	14 Laps	Running
David Wall	14 Laps	Running
Dean Canto	14 Laps	Running
Paul Dumbrell	14 Laps	Running

Driver's Championship

Scott McLaughlin: 5

Nick Percat: 4

Ashley Walsh, James Moffat: 3

Will Davison, Andre Heimgartner, Todd Kelly, Lee Holdsworth, David Wall: 2

Garth Tander, Chazz Mostert, Fabian Coulthard, Jason Bright, Chris Pither, Sebastien Bourdais, Jack LeBrocq, Craig Lowndes, David Reynolds: 1

Team's Championship

Gary Rodgers Motorsports: 7

Erebus Motorsport: 5

Lucas Dumbrell Motorsports: 3

Nissan Motorsports: 3

Super Black Racing, Brad Jones Racing, Jack Daniel's Racing, Charlie Schwerkolt Racing: 2

Holden Racing Team, Prodrive Racing Australia, Red Bull Racing Australia, Rod Nash Racing/Prodrive Racing Australia: 1

Manufacturer's Championship:

Holden: 10

Volvo: 7

Mercedes: 6

Nissan: 5

Ford: 4

Title-hopes end with last-place run for Reynolds at the island.

David Reynolds picked up his 6^th last-place finish of his career when his #55 Bottle-O Ford finished under power, on the lead lap in the first race at Philip Island. The finish came in Reynolds' 95^th round start.

Dean Canto, substituting for Ashley Walsh in the #4 Wendy’s Mercedes started the race in the rear, however turn 2 chaos left Tim Blanchard in the #3 Cooldrive Holden off the road and to the rear. On lap 2 Shane Van Gisbergen in the #97 STIX Holden spun out David Reynolds in the #55 Bottle-O Ford at Siberia, dropping Reynolds to the rear, where he remained for the rest of the race.

Rounding out the bottom five was Chris Pither in the unsponsored #111 Super Black Racing Ford substituting for Andre Heimgartner, David Wall in the #34 Wilson Security/Valvoline Mercedes, Dean Canto in the #4 Wendy's Mercedes and Paul Dumbrell in the #222 Repair Management Australia Holden.

The Bottom Five

David Reynolds	14 Laps	Running
Chris Pither	14 Laps	Running
David Wall	14 Laps	Running
Dean Canto	14 Laps	Running
Paul Dumbrell	14 Laps	Running

Driver's Championship

Scott McLaughlin: 5

Nick Percat: 4

Ashley Walsh, James Moffat: 3

Will Davison, Andre Heimgartner, Todd Kelly, Lee Holdsworth, David Wall: 2

Garth Tander, Chazz Mostert, Fabian Coulthard, Jason Bright, Chris Pither, Sebastien Bourdais, Jack LeBrocq, Craig Lowndes, David Reynolds: 1

Team's Championship

Gary Rodgers Motorsports: 7

Erebus Motorsport: 5

Lucas Dumbrell Motorsports: 3

Nissan Motorsports: 3

Super Black Racing, Brad Jones Racing, Jack Daniel's Racing, Charlie Schwerkolt Racing: 2

Holden Racing Team, Prodrive Racing Australia, Red Bull Racing Australia, Rod Nash Racing/Prodrive Racing Australia: 1

Manufacturer's Championship:

Holden: 10

Volvo: 7

Mercedes: 6

Nissan: 5

Ford: 4

Rough weekend ends with last-place for Percat in Auckland finale

Nick Percat picked up his 5th last-place finish of his career when his #222 OPS Gateway Holden was involved in a crash that ended his race after 6 of the race's 69 laps. The finish came in Percat's 37th start, and moves Percat into 2nd for the Australian V8 LASTCAR Championship, 1 finish behind Scott McLaughlin.

The field returned to 25 cars, with Jason Bright in the #8 BOC Holden was repaired in time to start race 3, along with previous race last-place finisher Craig Lowndes in the #888 Red Bull Racing Australia Holden.

In the race itself Dale Wood started the race in the rear in the #21 GB Galvnizing/ADVAM Holden, but by the end of lap 2 Mark Winterbottom in the #5 Pepsi Max Ford was spun around, dropping to the rear. Then, by lap 5 Andre Heimgartner in the unsponsored #111 Super Black Racing Ford fell to the rear, with David Wall in the #34 Wilson Security/Valvoline Volvo dropped to the rear.

On lap 8 Nick Percat in the #222 OPS Australia Holden was around at turn 8, with major damage to the side of his car, triggering the only safety car of the race and dropping him to the rear, the only retirement of the race. Ashley Walsh in the #10 10 Tenths Mercedes pulled into the pit-lane on lap 63 with an overheating engine, but managed to continue and finish 24th, 2 laps down.

Rounding out the bottom five was Tim Slade in the #47 Supercheap Auto Holden after he exceeded the pit-lane speed limit on lap 35, copping a Drive-Through penalty and dropping him into the bottom five, a lap down, Cameron Waters in the #6 Pepsi Max Ford went three-wide with Garth Tander in the #2 SP Tools Holden and James Courtney in the #22 SP Tools Holden, spinning the latter and copping a drive-through penalty that dropped him into the bottom five, also a lap down and Andre Heimgartner in the unsponsored #111 Super Black Racing Ford.

The Bottom Five

Nick Percat	6 Laps	Crash
Ashley Walsh	67 Laps	Running
Tim Slade	68 Laps	Running
Cameron Waters	68 Laps	Running
Andre Heimgartner	68 Laps	Running

Driver's Championship

Scott McLaughlin: 5

Nick Percat: 3

Ashley Walsh, James Moffat: 3

Will Davison, Andre Heimgartner, Todd Kelly, Lee Holdsworth, David Wall: 2

Garth Tander, Chazz Mostert, Fabian Coulthard, Jason Bright, Chris Pither, Sebastien Bourdais, Jack LeBrocq, Craig Lowndes: 1

Team's Championship

Gary Rodgers Motorsports: 7

Erebus Motorsport: 6

Lucas Dumbrell Motorsports: 3

Nissan Motorsports: 3

Super Black Racing, Brad Jones Racing, Jack Daniel's Racing, Charlie Schwerkolt Racing: 2

Holden Racing Team, Prodrive Racing Australia, Red Bull Racing Australia: 1

Manufacturer's Championship:

Holden: 10

Volvo: 7

Mercedes: 6

Nissan: 5

Ford: 3

Tire safety changes after Lowndes tire failure leaves him last at Auckland

Craig Lowndes picked up his 6th last-place finish of his career when his #888 Red Bull Racing Australia Holden was involved in a single-car crash that ended his race after 12 of the race's 21 laps. The finish came in Lowndes' 248th round start.

The field shrank for race 29 to 24 cars after Jason Bright in the #8 BOC Holden was unable to make it to the grid, running out of time to replace the engine on car 8 after it failed late in the previous race. Ashley Walsh in the #10 10 tenths Mercedes started the race in the rear after car #10 was unable to set a lap time in Qualifying 2 due to damage sustained in a collision with Cameron Waters in the #6 Pepsi Max Ford in turn 5. Very quickly David Wall in the #34 Wilson Security/Valvoline Volvo fell to the rear, which he held until lap 7 when Nick Percat in the #222 OPS Gateway Australia Holden who suffered a pit-lane penalty for not redressing position to Michael Caruso in the #23 Nismo Nissan, dropping him to the rear on lap 8, and held it until Craig Lowndes in the #888 Red Bull Racing Australia Holden suffered a tire explosion and a big crash in turn 1 while leading on lap 12, ending his race and dropping him to last.

After the safety car, Percat worked his way up to 20th. Between Lowndes and Percat was Tim Blanchard in the #3 Cooldrive Mercedes, David Wall in the #34 Wilson Security/Valvoline Volvo and Ashley Walsh in the #10 10 tenths Mercedes.

The Bottom Five

Craig Lowndes	11 Laps	Crash
Tim Blanchard	21 Laps	Running
David Wall	21 Laps	Running
Ashley Walsh	21 Laps	Running
Nick Percat	21 Laps	Running

Driver's Championship

Scott McLaughlin: 5

Ashley Walsh, James Moffat, Nick Percat: 3

Will Davison, Andre Heimgartner, Todd Kelly, Lee Holdsworth, David Wall: 2

Garth Tander, Chazz Mostert, Fabian Coulthard, Jason Bright, Chris Pither, Sebastien Bourdais, Jack LeBrocq, Craig Lowndes: 1

Team's Championship

Gary Rodgers Motorsports: 7

Erebus Motorsport: 6

Nissan Motorsports. Lucas Dumbrell Motorsports: 3

Super Black Racing, Brad Jones Racing, Jack Daniel's Racing, Charlie Schwerkolt Racing: 2

Holden Racing Team, Prodrive Racing Australia, Red Bull Racing Australia: 1

Manufacturer's Championship:

Holden: 9

Volvo: 7

Mercedes: 6

Nissan: 5

Ford: 3

Erebus firms for Team's Championship after first-lap crash leaves Davison last at Auckland

Will Davison picked up his 12th last-place finish of his career when his #9 Penrite Mercerdes was taken out in a 3-car pileup without completing a single lap of the first race at Auckland. The finish came in Davison's 149th round start.

Nick Percat in the #222 OPS Gateway Australia Holden started the race in the rear, however at turn 6 Will Davison in the #9 Penrite Mercedes was spun around by Tim Slade in the #47 Supercheap Auto Holden, then collected by Fabian Coulthard in the #14 Freightliner Holden, damaging both cars and forcing Davison to the rear. The only other retirement of the race was Jason Bright in the #8 BOC Holden who suffered engine failure on the second-to-final lap, dropping him to 24th.

Rounding out the bottom five was Fabian Coulthard in the #14 Freightliner Holden after the collision with Will Davison, Tim Blanchard in the #3 Cooldrive Holden and Dale Wood in the #21 GB Galvanising/ADVAM Holden after a mechanical black flag for loose bodywork.

The Bottom Five

Will Davison	0 Laps	Crash
Jason Bright	19 Laps	Engine
Fabian Coulthard	20 Laps	Running
Tim Blanchard	21 Laps	Running
Dale Wood	21 Laps	Running

Driver's Championship

Scott McLaughlin: 5

Ashley Walsh, James Moffat, Nick Percat: 3

Will Davison, Andre Heimgartner, Todd Kelly, Lee Holdsworth, David Wall: 2

Garth Tander, Chazz Mostert, Fabian Coulthard, Jason Bright, Chris Pither, Sebastien Bourdais, Jack LeBrocq: 1

Team's Championship

Gary Rodgers Motorsports: 7

Erebus Motorsport: 6

Nissan Motorsports. Lucas Dumbrell Motorsports: 3

Super Black Racing, Brad Jones Racing, Jack Daniel's Racing, Charlie Schwerkolt Racing: 2

Holden Racing Team, Prodrive Racing Australia: 1

Manufacturer's Championship:

Holden: 8

Volvo: 7

Mercedes: 6

Nissan: 5

Ford: 3

Post-race exclusion leaves Walsh and LeBrocq last at Surfer's Paradise.

Ashley Walsh picked up his 7^th last-place finish of his career, while Jack LeBrocq picked up his 1^st last-place finish of his career, when they #4 Wendy's Mercedes was excluded post-race for a tire pressure violation after -102 of the race's 102 laps. The finish came in Walsh's 17^th round start and LeBrocq's 1^st start.

Macauley Jones started the race in last in the #21 GB Galvanizing/ADVAM Holden, however before the end of the first lap Jack LeBrocq in the #4 Wendy's Mercedes fell to the rear with a rear suspension failure, heading to the garage on lap 2 and dropping 8 Laps.

The first retirees of the race was Chris Pither and David Wall in the #34 Wilson Security/Valvoline Volvo, with Pither at the wheel at the time, when Ant Pedersen in the unsponsored #111 Super Black Racing Ford turned in on him, sending car #34 into the inside wall, then both cars into the outside wall. Although Pedersen was able to continue, car #34's day was done, and they dropped behind Walsh and LeBrocq on lap 15 and lost four more lap on lap 41 leaving Walsh and LeBrocq fourteen laps down at the finish. However, Walsh and LeBrocq was excluded post-race for a tire pressure violation, elevating Pither and Wall to 24^th.

Rounding out the bottom five is Jason Bright and Andrew Jones in the #8 BOC Holden when Bright clobbered the tires twice in the 6-7-8-9-10 chicane complex, dropping laps both times and Tim Blanchard and Karl Reindler in the #3 Cooldrive Holden after the window net fell off on two separate occasions, forcing lengthy pitstops to re-attach.

Australian V8 LASTCAR notes

This is what I'm talking about when a team is disqualified post-race, Wall and Pither do not add to their last-place totals but Walsh's and LeBrocq's are added to.

The Bottom Five

Ashley Walsh/Jack Lebrocq	-102 Laps	Excluded
David Wall/Chris Pither	6 Laps	Crash
Ashley Walsh/Jack LeBrocq	88 Laps	Running
Jason Bright/Andrew Jones	97 Laps	Running
Tim Blanchard/Karl Reindler	101 Laps	Running

Driver's Championship

Scott McLaughlin: 5

Ashley Walsh, James Moffat, Nick Percat: 3

Andre Heimgartner, Todd Kelly, Lee Holdsworth, David Wall: 2

Will Davison, Garth Tander, Chazz Mostert, Fabian Coulthard, Jason Bright, Chris Pither, Sebastien Bourdais, Jack LeBrocq: 1

Team's Championship

Gary Rodgers Motorsports: 7

Erebus Motorsport: 5

Nissan Motorsports. Lucas Dumbrell Motorsports: 3

Super Black Racing, Brad Jones Racing, Jack Daniel's Racing, Charlie Schwerkolt Racing: 2

Holden Racing Team, Prodrive Racing Australia: 1

Manufacturer's Championship:

Holden: 8

Volvo: 7

Nissan, Mercedes: 5

Ford: 3

Late-Race collision leaves Holdworth and Bourdais last at Surfer's Paradise

Lee Holdsworth picked up his 8th last-place finish of his career, while Sebastien Bourdais picked up his 1st last-place finish of his career, when their #18 FUCHS/BEKO/Preston Hire Holden was involved in a 3-car crash that ended his race after 88 of the race's 102 laps. The finish came in Holdsworth's 151st round start, and Bourdais' 6th round start.

Ashley Walsh and Jack LeBrocq in the #4 Wendy's Erebus Mercedes started the race in the rear, with everybody tripping the first kerb hop on the first lap. On lap 3 Ant Pedersen in the unsponsored #111 Super Black Racing Ford fell to the rear, then on lap 4 Paul Dumbrell in the #1 Red Bull Racing Holden collided with Taz Douglas in the #99 Mack Trucks Nissan, damaging the splitter mountings on car #1, dropping 12 Laps in repairs and falling to the ear. On lap 35 diaster struck for Mark Winterbottom in the #5 Pepsi Max Ford when he collided with Garth Tander in the #2 SP Tools Holden, heavily damaging the suspension on car #5 and dropping to last on lap 51. Whincup and Winterbottom continued to tussle for last until the restart on lap 88, when Tim Slade in the #47 Supercheap Auto Holden was spun out by Will Davison in the #9 Penrite Mercedes, then was collected by Lee Holdsworth in the #18 FUCHS/- Holden, forcing car #18 to the garage and out of the race, falling to last post-race.

Rounding out the bottom five is Jason Bright in the #8 BOC Holden who's #8 had a hole punched in the radiator of car #8, forcing Bright to the garage and losing 12 laps, Scott McLaughlin in the #33 Wilson Security/Valvoline who on lap 60 suffered a Power Steering failure, forcing the car to the garage and dropping 11 laps, dropping him to 22nd and Scott McLaughlin in the #33 Wilson Security/Valvoline Volvo who suffered a Power Steering failure just past half-way, dropping 11 laps.

As a post-note, after finishing the race first, Shane Van Gisbergen in the #97 STIX Holden spent so long doing a burnout that he was the 24th and final car to return to the pit-lane.

The Bottom Five

Lee Holdsworth/Sebastien Bourdais	88 Laps	Crash
Jamie Whincup/Paul Dumbrell	87 Laps	Running
Mark Winterbottom/Steve Owen	88 Laps	Running
Jason Bright/Andrew Jones	89 Laps	Running
Scott McLaughlin/Alexandre Premat	91 Laps	Running

Driver's Championship

Scott McLaughlin: 5

Ashley Walsh, James Moffat, Nick Percat: 3

Andre Heimgartner, Todd Kelly, David Wall, Lee Holdsworth: 2

Will Davison, Garth Tander, Chazz Mostert, Fabian Coulthard, Jason Bright, Chris Pither, Sebastien Bourdais: 1

Team's Championship

Gary Rodgers Motorsports: 7

Erebus Motorsport: 4

Nissan Motorsports. Lucas Dumbrell Motorsports: 3

Super Black Racing, Brad Jones Racing, Jack Daniel's Racing, Charlie Schwerkolt Racing: 2

Holden Racing Team, Prodrive Racing Australia: 1

Manufacturer's Championship:

Holden: 8

Volvo: 7

Nissan: 5

Mercedes: 4

Ford: 3

Engine failure leaves Wall and Pither last at the Mountain

David Wall picked up his 10th last-place finish of his career, while Chris Pither picked up his 3rd last-place finish of his career when their #34 Wilson Security/Valvoline Volvo retired with Engine failure after 15 of the race's 161 laps. The finish came in Wall's 66th round start, and in Pither's 16th round start.

The field had initially 27 entries in the Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000 however after the single largest non-fatal crash in Bathurst history, where Chazz Mostert in the #6 Pepsi Max Ford glanced the wall at the dipper, firing car 6 at 170kph into the outside wall, then an even harder hit into the other wall, destroying car #6, forcing Pepsi Max racing to withdraw the car. Mostert suffered a broken leg and a broken wrist in the crash, and 7 marshals, who's stand was destroyed by Mostert's car as the most of car #6 took out the marshal's stand and the catch fencing, were also injured. This crash reduced the field to 26.

Now going to the start of the race, Ashley Walsh in the #4 Wendy's Mercedes started the race in the rear, however Renee Gracie in the #200 Harvey Norman/HP/Fujitsu Ford fell to the rear after pitting before the green flag and having to wait for all the other cars to pass, and had fallen 10 seconds behind 25th by lap 7.

First car to pit was the Dean Fiore in the #23, complete with a driver's change to Michael Caruso, dropping Caruso to the rear. After a pit-stop Tim Blanchard in the #3 Cooldrive Holden fell behind Caruso on lap 11. Lap 14 saw Mark Winterbottom in the #5 Pepsi Max Ford fall to the rear.

On lap 15 Catastrophe strikes for both David Wall and Chris Pither in the #34 Wilson Security/Valvoline Volvo and Renee Gracie and Simona De Silvestro in the #200 Harvey Norman Ford. Firstly, Wall blew his motor and Gracie, without any experience of watching and avoiding oil, hit the oil and hit the wall at Forest Elbow, triggering the first caution of the race. Eventually car #200 managed to get back going and be classified, starting lap 121 as the leaders came through the dipper on lap 161.
 

During the first caution, most of the field changed drivers. Next to fall out was Ant Pedersen and Andre Heimgartner in the unsponsored #111 Super Black Racing Ford, after contact with Karl Reindler in the #3 Holden sent Pedersen into the wall and brining out the second caution of the race, with car #111 dropping to 25th on lap 75. On lap 75 Tim Blanchard in the #3 Cool Drive/GB Galvnaising Holden crashed heavily at McPhillamy park and while uninjured, Blanchard's and Reindler's day was over, and he was down to 24th by lap 121.

The last 35 laps were chaotic. Firstly, Ashley Walsh and in the #4 Wendy's Mercedes crashed at the Cutting, damaging the suspension on his car, then Scott Pye and Marcos Ambrose in the #17 XBOX Ford crashed very heavily at Reed Park, near McPhillamy Park, brining out the fourth caution of the race. Pye, who was in the car at the time, suffered broken ribs in the crash. With these two retiring, they filled out the bottom five, with Renee Gracie and Simona De Silvestro overtaking Pedersen on lap 75, Blanchard on lap 116 and both Walsh and Pye when the drivers who finished the race was put ahead of the drivers who failed to finish at the end of the race.

With this victory, Craig Lowndes now has 6 Bathurst 1000 crowns, putting him on the same number as Mark Skaife, only behind Jim Richards on 7 and Peter Brock on 9.

The Bottom Five

David Wall/Chris Pither	15 Laps	Engine
Andre Heimgartnet/Ant Pedersen	35 Laps	Crash
Tim Blanchard/Karl Reindler	78 Laps	Crash
Ashley Walsh/Jack leBrocq	135 Laps	Crash
Scott Pye/Marcos Ambrose	137 Laps	Crash

Driver's Championship

Scott McLaughlin: 5

Ashley Walsh, James Moffat, Nick Percat: 3

Andre Heimgartner, Todd Kelly, David Wall: 2

Will Davison, Garth Tander, Lee Holdsworth, Chazz Mostert, Fabian Coulthard, Jason Bright, Chris Pither: 1

Team's Championship

Gary Rodgers Motorsports: 7

Erebus Motorsport: 4

Nissan Motorsports. Lucas Dumbrell Motorsports: 3

Super Black Racing, Brad Jones Racing, Jack Daniel's Racing: 2

Holden Racing Team, Charlie Schwerkolt Racing, Prodrive Racing Australia: 1

Manufacturer's Championship:

Holden, Volvo: 7

Nissan: 5

Mercedes: 4

Ford: 3