Inside Line
Mark Fogarty
“When it all fell apart for McLaughlin, Whincup did what
he had to do to snatch the championship. He won the race”
ET’S TALK about Jamie Whincup. You probably
don’t like him, but you should. Whincup is a great
guy. You only see him when he wins races. Which
he does a lot. More than anyone else in Supercars
history. And when he’s up on the podium or talking in media
conferences, you’d swear he’s had a charisma bypass.
So while you respect his achievements – he’s now a seven-
time Supercars champion – you are unlikely
to warm to Whincup. He’s not bubbly and
fan-friendly like Craig Lowndes. He’s not as
engaging as Scott McLaughlin. And he’s definitely
not as colourful as David Reynolds. Whincup is
admired, but not loved. Throughout his decade-long
domination, most fans have regarded him as clinical
and arrogant. While they are right about the former, the
latter is a misconception.
He’s actually thoughtful, respectful, honest and
incisive. Intense and driven, sure, but there is a lighter side
to J-Dub. It’s just that he doesn’t show it in public. Away
from the track, he’s fun-loving and relaxed. He can also be
disarmingly introspective.
Mind you, his lack of rapport with the fans is his own
fault. He tried so hard to be humble that it had the
reverse effect. The fact that he was the underdog in
2017’s title fight may have improved his image. There
were signs that people warmed to him as he stayed
in contention through sheergritagainstafaster
opponent. He and Triple Eight weren’t the ones
to beat as Scott McLaughlin and DJR Team
Penske emerged as the top combination.
As well as winning support as he
gamely fought on, Whincup changed
some perceptions with a more relaxed
demeanour out of the car. His external
reaction to the relative adversity
was composed and genuine, as
was the emotional relief he
displayed after claiming the
title against the odds. But
while his public persona
showed signs of thawing,
don’t expect his race-
driver personality
to change. He will
never be a colourful
character. He takes his
racing too seriously.
Whincup is a winning
machine. And even when he is
not winning, he is relentless. Never gives up. Ever.
Which is how he won the 2017 Supercars crown in
extraordinary circumstances. Honestly, you couldn’t have
come up with such a dramatic ending. When it all fell apart for
McLaughlin on the brutal Newcastle street circuit, Whincup did
what he had to do – the only thing he could do – to snatch the
title. He won the race.
It was only his fourth victory of the season,
but it was the one that really mattered. He
hung in with the same tenacity that kept
him in contention despite being outgunned by
McLaughlin and DJR Team Penske, scoring podiums
and points with metronomic consistency.
While McLaughlin had stunning speed and Roger
Penske’s takeover of Dick Johnson Racing finally made
the reorganised team the formidable foe it was always
going to be, there were still enough errors to undermine
theirclearadvantage.Thatwas never more apparent than
in the fateful final race. After an early pit lane speeding
penalty, McLaughlin became the architect of his own
demise. His fightback was heroic, but flawed.
His gutsy effort was later tarnished by DJRTP publicly
disputing the speeding charge that began the charismatic
Kiwi’s spiral to defeat, releasing its own on-board data
to show he didn’t exceed the 40 km/h pit lane limit.
The passive-aggressive posturing smacked of sour
grapes and was at odds with the fair play that has
traditionally characterised Penske’s approach.
It also ran the risk of exposing the team to a
charge of bringing the sport into disrepute.
Nothing should be taken away from Whincup’s
unlikely triumph. His resolve and resilience
were the marks of a true champion. He
may never be as fondly remembered as
a Brock, a Johnson or even a Moffat,
but his achievements must earn
him serious consideration as
Australian touring car racing’s
Greatest Of All Time.
Arguments will of
course rage about who
that is exactly, but
consider this. J-Dub will
have only just turned 35
when the 2018 season
starts in Adelaide on the
first weekend of March. His
quest for more success is far,
far from over.M
L
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