Will Davison gave Ford its first win of the 2013 V8 Supercars season in a wild third race at Pukekohe, and took the championship lead in the process.
Davison claimed his win under the fourth safety car of the short event, which was flagged four laps short of its planned 36-lap distance as it hit the time limit.
The friction between champion Jamie Whincup and Mark Winterbottom continued following their Saturday clash. Winterbottom jumped polesitter Whincup off the lead, and hung on despite a touch from his rival into Turn 5.
James Courtney was running third for Holden Racing Team, fending off Fabian Coulthard’s Brad Jones Racing car. A small slip let Coulthard pounce, with Davison sneaking through as well.
When Shane van Gisbergen tried to demote Courtney another place, the former champion’s defence resulted in him spinning across the Tekno Holden’s front end and into the gravel.
That prompted a second safety car, the first having been caused by a first-lap midfield tangle. On the restart lap, Whincup barged past Winterbottom at the hairpin, but as the Triple 8 Holden and FPR Ford bounced off each other, Coulthard was able to accelerate around both.
Winterbottom had sustained steering damage and began to slip back before pitting for repairs.
Whincup would not fare any better, though. While chasing Coulthard, he slid into the gravel when his foot slipped off the brake pedal.
That prompted another caution and gave Davison chance to attack Coulthard. He slipped inside at the hairpin, with van Gisbergen following through as well.
When a tyre blow-out sent Saturday race one winner Scott McLaughlin into the wall at the final corner, the safety car returned and ensured that Davison, van Gisbergen and Coulthard would hold the top-three positions.
Craig Lowndes and Garth Tander came through from ninth and 13th on the grid to complete the top five ahead of Jason Bright, who has pole for Sunday afternoon’s race.
Alexandre Premat had qualified sixth but a trip off the road – in which he nearly speared GRM team-mate McLaughlin – and a puncture left him at the back.
