▁Winter bottom ' s ▁championship ▁lead ▁come ▁down ▁to ▁ 1 7 9 ▁points ▁over ▁Low nd es , ▁with ▁Reyn olds ▁dro pping ▁out ▁of ▁championship ▁cont ention . ▁ ▁Co ates ▁H ire ▁Sydney ▁ 5 0 0 ▁ ▁Jam ie ▁Wh inc up ▁continued ▁his ▁strong ▁late - season ▁form ▁by ▁winning ▁the ▁first ▁two ▁races ▁of ▁the ▁Co ates ▁H ire ▁Sydney ▁ 5 0 0 . ▁Mark ▁Winter bottom ▁qualified ▁on ▁pole ▁position ▁for ▁the ▁first , ▁with ▁his ▁championship ▁rival ▁Craig ▁Low nd es ▁qual ifying ▁last ▁after ▁hitting ▁the ▁wall . ▁Wh inc up ▁took ▁the ▁lead ▁from ▁Sh ane ▁van ▁G is ber gen ▁during ▁their ▁pit ▁stops ▁and ▁led ▁to ▁the ▁finish , ▁with ▁van ▁G is ber gen ▁finishing ▁second ▁ahead ▁of ▁Jason ▁Bright . ▁Winter bottom ▁drove ▁a ▁conserv ative ▁race ▁to ▁finish ▁fifth , ▁while ▁Low nd es ▁made ▁it ▁to ▁fif teenth ▁place . ▁Winter bottom ▁secured ▁the ▁championship ▁by ▁finishing ▁third ▁in ▁the ▁second ▁race ▁behind ▁Wh inc up ▁and ▁David ▁Reyn olds . ▁Van ▁G is ber gen ▁took ▁victory ▁in ▁the ▁third ▁race ▁despite ▁making ▁contact ▁with ▁James ▁Court ney ▁in ▁the ▁opening ▁la ps . ▁Court ney ▁sp un ▁into ▁the ▁wall ▁and ▁his ▁car ▁suffered ▁damage , ▁but ▁van ▁G is ber gen ▁was ▁not ▁pen al ised . ▁Wh inc up ▁finished ▁second ▁ahead ▁of ▁Rick ▁Kelly ▁and ▁Winter bottom . ▁The ▁result ▁saw ▁Winter bottom ▁win ▁the ▁championship ▁by ▁ 2 3 8