10 to 1: Ranking Winterbottom's best Supercars performances
As Mark Winterbottom waves farewell to full-time Supercars racing after 21 seasons, we had to work hard to narrow down his 10 best drives.
During Winterbottom's 21 seasons, he racked up 39 wins and a championship in over 600 races, but which were his best?
10) Pukekohe 2006: 24th to third
A young Winterbottom started 24th in the reverse grid race at Pukekohe, and emerged 14th after lap 1, and eighth by lap 10, following a dramatic hairpin pile-up in the mid-pack. By lap 19 of 47, he was third, where he finished. Crucially, the performance helped Winterbottom secure a surprise round podium in just his second event with Ford Performance Racing.
9) Winton 2008: 20th to second
Winterbottom started down the order after his flat tyre early in Race 1 of the 2008 Winton weekend, and stayed out long before his pit stop. The strategy call and Winterbottom's pace vaulted the Ford driver up to second behind eventual winner Will Davison, and ahead of Garth Tander and Jamie Whincup.
8) Surfers Paradise 2011: 17th to third
Starting 17th, Winterbottom and Briton Richard Lyons claimed an impressive podium at one of the toughest events of the season. It was a taste of what was to come 24 hours later, with Winterbottom/Lyons claiming victory on the Sunday.
7) Phillip Island 2006: First solo win
After winning the Sandown 500 with Jason Bright, Winterbottom was hunting his first solo win, which came amid dramatic scenes at Phillip Island. Kelly brothers Todd and Rick, and Craig Lowndes, hit trouble at the front early on. Winterbottom took the lead and never looked back.
6) Townsville 2015: Denies Reynolds
Winterbottom was the form driver of 2015, winning the championship. Among his nine wins was a brilliant pressure performance in Townsville, where he had to hold out stablemate David Reynolds to win.
5) Sandown 2012: Muscles past Whincup after starting 16th
One of the many flashpoints in his rivalry with Jamie Whincup, Winterbottom charged from 16th in the 2012 Sandown 500 to hold third, but wanted more while chasing his great rival. Winterbottom made a bold move into Turn 9, hitting Whincup off the road in a statement of intent.
4) Darwin 2023: Snaps drought after beating Feeney
Nearly seven years had passed since his last win when Winterbottom arrived in Darwin in 2023. He qualified strongly and inherited the lead when Cam Waters pulled off with a scary fire. Winterbottom still had it all to do, with a hungry Broc Feeney behind. However, he hung on to take an unlikely win.
3) Homebush 2011: Victory from 14th
As unlikely wins come, winning from 14th in Sydney was a big result for Winterbottom, who closed out 2011 with a stunning charge through the field. As Whincup and Craig Lowndes fought for the title, Winterbottom moved through the pack and won, beating Lowndes home.
2) Darwin 2014: Beats van Gisbergen on old tyres after starting 10th
Despite just two sets of Soft tyres being allocated for the race, Winterbottom was one of several to run all three stints on the Softs. Shane van Gisbergen ran the more conventional Hard-Soft-Soft option, and was quicker for much of the last stint. Van Gisbergen closed to the bumper of Winterbottom on the last corner, but the Ford star hung on.
1) Bathurst 2013: Ultimate glory after outlasting rival
After a decade of trying, Winterbottom finally won the Great Race, and it came on a day he had to hold off his greatest rival. Winterbottom and Whincup were joined at the hip for the final 70 laps, and the end margin was less than a second after a bold Whincup move at Griffins Bend.
