WHINCUP WINS 2013 V8 SUPERCARS CHAMPIONSHIP

Whincup's fifth title in six years came down to the wire in the final race. Needing only to cruise home in 22nd place, Whincup instead pushed for a podium, and nearly pushed too far in the event's closing stages when he was sandwiched between Jason Bright and David Reynolds.

Heading into the 2013 season finale, the Sydney NRMA Motoring & Service 500, Whincup was one of three contenders for the championship, the others being his Red Bull team mate, Craig Lowndes, and FPR Pepsi Max Crew's Mark Winterbottom. FPR's Will Davison was also a mathematical chance of winning the title.

Having never won, or even placed at the Sydney event in the past four years, Whincup was under the pump, but started the round in the right way, setting the fastest time in Friday qualifying ahead of the weekend's pair of 250km races around the 3.42km Homebush street circuit.

The hits kept on coming for Whincup, who secured fastest time in Saturday's qualifying session, then backed up to come out on top of the Top Ten Shootout, too, placing him on pole for the opening race.

A victory in the first 'twilight' race held late on Saturday afternoon, coupled with problems for Lowndes, who eventually finished 15th after contact with Winterbottom, who himself failed to finish, meant Whincup went into Sunday's last race with one hand firmly on the trophy.

Despite only needing to cruise in Sunday's race to claim the title, Whincup pushed hard, taking advantage of safety car periods to be fighting with Bright and Reynolds in the closing stages, almost coming unstuck and knocking himself out of the championship on several occasions.

Shane van Gisbergen (Tekno Autosports) won the race from Bright, but Whincup's third-place race finish was more than enough to secure the championship.

"I had the Championship in the back of my head, but all these things are going through my mind during the last 20 laps [as to] what should I do," said Whincup.

"I just can't help but race. These boys were banging the walls at every second corner, it was really good to watch. I was more of a fan than anything else.

"It is all about walking away at the end of the day and looking yourself in the mirror, have you been true to yourself, have you done the right thing by everyone and did it pan out the way you wanted it to?

"That was all part of it for me, to race hard. Sometimes it goes pear-shaped, but it didn't today."

Lowndes finished the championship in second place, while Will Davison pipped FPR team mate Winterbottom for third.

Whincup's fifth championship, achieved in only six years, sees the 30-year-old now equal with Mark Skaife, Dick Johnson and the late Ian 'Pete' Geoghegan on the all-time V8 Supercars/ATCC championship winners list.