Bathurst glory top priority for Whincup

By Ed Jackson, AAP October 6, 2011, 4:09 pm

He's desperate to get back his No.1 plate as the V8 Supercar champion but Jamie Whincup says that won't stop him risking it all if he's got a chance of Bathurst glory this Sunday.
The Holden star enters this weekend's endurance event with a narrow 92-point lead over team-mate Craig Lowndes in the championship standings.
But although he has stated many times how much he wants to regain the title he had to relinquish to James Courtney last year, Whincup won't hold back in his quest for a fourth Bathurst crown.
"It's a real tough one because it's still the biggest race of the year, it's still the one that everyone wants to win," Whincup told AAP.
"Although we plan it, I can see myself getting in the last stint and if I've got a sniff of a win then I'm just going to go all out.
"That's where it stands."
Whincup's biggest challenge to claiming another victory at Mount Panorama appears to be from the other TeamVodafone Commodore, piloted by Lowndes and six-time champion Mark Skaife.
The veteran duo finished ahead of Whincup and Andrew Thompson to win last month's Phillip Island 500, their third straight endurance race win after claiming both Phillip Island and Bathurst last year.
And another win for Lowndes on Sunday would only intensify the championship battle between the two team-mates, although Whincup seemed to be relishing the challenge from the No.888 car.
"They've done a great job, without doubt," Whincup said of the Lowndes and Skaife.
"They did a fantastic job last year and then again at Phillip Island.
"We don't want them to slow down at all. Us, along with the rest of the field, would like to step up and hopefully someone takes the challenge up to them."
Whincup also stood up for co-driver Andrew Thompson who received criticism from Holden Racing Team's Garth Tander on Wednesday over his ability to drive in wet conditions.
"Thommo's been driving the sister car to the one we're racing all year so he's done plenty of miles," he said.
"(He) did a fantastic job at Phillip Island. We can't see any reason why he won't do a fantastic job again this weekend."