The 2008 V8 Supercars Grand Finale (known for naming rights reasons as the 2008 NRMA Motoring + Services Grand Finale) was the fourteenth and final round of the 2008 V8 Supercar Championship Series. It was held on the weekend of the 4 to 7 December at the Oran Park Raceway in New South Wales.
Entering the round as the favourite, Jamie Whincup secured his first V8 Supercar championship after claiming victory in the first race of the weekend. Race two, as well as overall round honours, were won by Garth Tander while Rick Kelly secured victory in race three in front of a capacity crowd.
This event marked the final appearance of Oran Park Raceway on the V8 Supercar calendar with the Sydney venue being demolished 13 months later to make way for housing development. It was also the final solo championship appearance for five-time Australian Touring Car champion Mark Skaife who retired from full-time driving duties this weekend.
Background The event was held on the weekend of 4 to 7 December 2008. It was the 34th ATCC/V8 Supercar event to be held at Oran Park Raceway and consisted of three 120 km races. All races necessitated compulsory pitstops for fuel and tyres.
At the conclusion of the Surfers Paradise event, Mark Skaife announced his intention to retire from full-time driving at the conclusion of the 2008 season. This therefore would mark the final appearance of the five-time ATCC/V8 Supercar champion.
Jamie Whincup entered the weekend as the championship favourite, only needing to score 68 points out of a possible 300 on offer for the weekend.
Entry list
There were 29 drivers entered into the event. It featured mixture of vehicle models - thirteen BF Ford Falcon's and sixteen VE Commodore's. No alterations were made to the entry list from the previous round in Tasmania.
Steven Richards was entered under the number 120 for this round to mark Dunlop Tyres' 120-year anniversary
Race report Qualifying Garth Tander claimed pole position by four tenths of a second over nearest competitor, Craig Lowndes.
Pos No Name Team Car Part 3 Part 2 Part 1 1 1 Garth Tander Holden Racing Team Holden Commodore (VE) 1:09.4562 2 888 Craig Lowndes Triple Eight Race Engineering Ford Falcon (BF) 1:09.8709 3 88 Jamie Whincup Triple Eight Race Engineering Ford Falcon (BF) 1:09.9161 4 5 Mark Winterbottom Ford Performance Racing Ford Falcon (BF) 1:09.9620 5 39 Russell Ingall Paul Morris Motorsport Holden Commodore (VE) 1:10.1421 6 120 Steven Richards Ford Performance Racing Ford Falcon (BF) 1:10.1594 7 4 James Courtney Stone Brothers Racing Ford Falcon (BF) 1:10.2049 8 7 Todd Kelly Perkins Engineering Holden Commodore (VE) 1:10.3222 9 33 Lee Holdsworth Garry Rogers Motorsport Holden Commodore (VE) 1:10.4076 10 18 Will Davison Dick Johnson Racing Ford Falcon (BF) 1:10.4959 11 15 Rick Kelly HSV Dealer Team Holden Commodore (VE) 1:10.3320 12 14 Cameron McConville Brad Jones Racing Holden Commodore (VE) 1:10.3983 13 25 Jason Bright Britek Motorsport Ford Falcon (BF) 1:10.4329 14 3 Jason Richards Tasman Motorsport Holden Commodore (VE) 1:10.4703 15 9 Shane van Gisbergen Stone Brothers Racing Ford Falcon (BF) 1:10.5647 16 2 Mark Skaife Holden Racing Team Holden Commodore (VE) 1:10.6061 17 17 Steven Johnson Dick Johnson Racing Ford Falcon (BF) 1:10.6901 18 34 Michael Caruso Garry Rogers Motorsport Holden Commodore (VE) 1:10.6941 19 50 Andrew Thompson Paul Weel Racing Holden Commodore (VE) 1:10.7593 20 55 Tony D'Alberto Rod Nash Racing Holden Commodore (VE) 1:10.8179 21 67 Paul Morris Paul Morris Motorsport Holden Commodore (VE) 1:11.3725 22 11 Jack Perkins Perkins Engineering Holden Commodore (VE) 1:11.4414 23 51 Greg Murphy Tasman Motorsport Holden Commodore (VE) 1:11.4995 24 111 Fabian Coulthard Paul Cruickshank Racing Ford Falcon (BF) 1:11.5220 25 777 Michael Patrizi Ford Rising Stars Racing Ford Falcon (BF) 1:11.6063 26 26 Marcus Marshall Britek Motorsport Ford Falcon (BF) 1:11.6299 27 12 Andrew Jones Brad Jones Racing Holden Commodore (VE) 1:11.7497 28 021 Daniel Gaunt Team Kiwi Racing Ford Falcon (BF) 1:12.7317 29 16 Paul Dumbrell HSV Dealer Team Holden Commodore (VE) 1:12.8345 Source:
Race 1 Pos No Driver Team Car Laps Time/Retired Grid 1 88 Jamie Whincup Triple Eight Race Engineering Ford Falcon (BF) 46 2 888 Craig Lowndes Triple Eight Race Engineering Ford Falcon (BF) 46 3 39 Russell Ingall Paul Morris Motorsport Holden Commodore (VE) 46 4 120 Steven Richards Ford Performance Racing Ford Falcon (BF) 46 5 4 James Courtney Stone Brothers Racing Ford Falcon (BF) 46 6 1 Garth Tander Holden Racing Team Holden Commodore (VE) 46 7 7 Todd Kelly Perkins Engineering Holden Commodore (VE) 46 8 34 Michael Caruso Garry Rogers Motorsport Holden Commodore (VE) 46 9 15 Rick Kelly HSV Dealer Team Holden Commodore (VE) 46 10 18 Will Davison Dick Johnson Racing Ford Falcon (BF) 46 11 14 Cameron McConville Brad Jones Racing Holden Commodore (VE) 46 12 33 Lee Holdsworth Garry Rogers Motorsport Holden Commodore (VE) 46 13 25 Jason Bright Britek Motorsport Ford Falcon (BF) 46 14 67 Paul Morris Paul Morris Motorsport Holden Commodore (VE) 46 15 17 Steven Johnson Dick Johnson Racing Ford Falcon (BF) 46 16 3 Jason Richards Tasman Motorsport Holden Commodore (VE) 46 17 11 Jack Perkins Perkins Engineering Holden Commodore (VE) 46 18 111 Fabian Coulthard Paul Cruickshank Racing Ford Falcon (BF) 46 19 16 Paul Dumbrell HSV Dealer Team Holden Commodore (VE) 46 20 26 Marcus Marshall Britek Motorsport Ford Falcon (BF) 45 + 1 lap 21 51 Greg Murphy Tasman Motorsport Holden Commodore (VE) 45 + 1 lap 22 021 Daniel Gaunt Team Kiwi Racing Ford Falcon (BF) 45 + 1 lap 23 5 Mark Winterbottom Ford Performance Racing Ford Falcon (BF) 41 + 4 laps Ret 12 Andrew Jones Brad Jones Racing Holden Commodore (VE) 37 Retired Ret 50 Andrew Thompson Paul Weel Racing Holden Commodore (VE) 25 Retired Ret 55 Tony D'Alberto Rod Nash Racing Holden Commodore (VE) 22 Retired Ret 9 Shane van Gisbergen Stone Brothers Racing Ford Falcon (BF) 11 Retired Ret 2 Mark Skaife Holden Racing Team Holden Commodore (VE) 10 Retired Ret 777 Michael Patrizi Ford Rising Stars Racing Ford Falcon (BF) 8 Retired Fastest Lap: Russell Ingall (Paul Morris Motorsport) - 1:10.6998 on lap 8 Source:
Race 2 Pos No Driver Team Car Laps Time/Retired Grid 1 1 Garth Tander Holden Racing Team Holden Commodore (VE) 46 2 39 Russell Ingall Paul Morris Motorsport Holden Commodore (VE) 46 3 120 Steven Richards Ford Performance Racing Ford Falcon (BF) 46 4 15 Rick Kelly HSV Dealer Team Holden Commodore (VE) 46 5 888 Craig Lowndes Triple Eight Race Engineering Ford Falcon (BF) 46 6 4 James Courtney Stone Brothers Racing Ford Falcon (BF) 46 7 25 Jason Bright Britek Motorsport Ford Falcon (BF) 46 8 7 Todd Kelly Perkins Engineering Holden Commodore (VE) 46 9 17 Steven Johnson Dick Johnson Racing Ford Falcon (BF) 46 10 111 Fabian Coulthard Paul Cruickshank Racing Ford Falcon (BF) 46 11 34 Michael Caruso Garry Rogers Motorsport Holden Commodore (VE) 46 12 5 Mark Winterbottom Ford Performance Racing Ford Falcon (BF) 46 13 9 Shane van Gisbergen Stone Brothers Racing Ford Falcon (BF) 46 14 67 Paul Morris Paul Morris Motorsport Holden Commodore (VE) 46 15 18 Will Davison Dick Johnson Racing Ford Falcon (BF) 46 16 16 Paul Dumbrell HSV Dealer Team Holden Commodore (VE) 46 17 51 Greg Murphy Tasman Motorsport Holden Commodore (VE) 46 18 3 Jason Richards Tasman Motorsport Holden Commodore (VE) 46 19 14 Cameron McConville Brad Jones Racing Holden Commodore (VE) 46 20 12 Andrew Jones Brad Jones Racing Holden Commodore (VE) 46 21 777 Michael Patrizi Ford Rising Stars Racing Ford Falcon (BF) 45 + 1 lap 22 26 Marcus Marshall Britek Motorsport Ford Falcon (BF) 45 + 1 lap 23 50 Andrew Thompson Paul Weel Racing Holden Commodore (VE) 45 + 1 lap 24 021 Daniel Gaunt Team Kiwi Racing Ford Falcon (BF) 44 + 2 laps 25 33 Lee Holdsworth Garry Rogers Motorsport Holden Commodore (VE) 36 + 10 laps Ret 2 Mark Skaife Holden Racing Team Holden Commodore (VE) 38 Retired Ret 55 Tony D'Alberto Rod Nash Racing Holden Commodore (VE) 36 Retired Ret 88 Jamie Whincup Triple Eight Race Engineering Ford Falcon (BF) 11 Retired Ret 11 Jack Perkins Perkins Engineering Holden Commodore (VE) 1 Retired Fastest Lap: Jamie Whincup (Triple Eight Race Engineering) - 1:10.5408 on lap 6 Source:
Race 3 Pos No Driver Team Car Laps Time/Retired Grid 1 15 Rick Kelly HSV Dealer Team Holden Commodore (VE) 46 2 1 Garth Tander Holden Racing Team Holden Commodore (VE) 46 3 888 Craig Lowndes Triple Eight Race Engineering Ford Falcon (BF) 46 4 4 James Courtney Stone Brothers Racing Ford Falcon (BF) 46 5 9 Shane van Gisbergen Stone Brothers Racing Ford Falcon (BF) 46 6 33 Lee Holdsworth Garry Rogers Motorsport Holden Commodore (VE) 46 7 25 Jason Bright Britek Motorsport Ford Falcon (BF) 46 8 111 Fabian Coulthard Paul Cruickshank Racing Ford Falcon (BF) 46 9 67 Paul Morris Paul Morris Motorsport Holden Commodore (VE) 46 10 34 Michael Caruso Garry Rogers Motorsport Holden Commodore (VE) 46 11 39 Russell Ingall Paul Morris Motorsport Holden Commodore (VE) 46 12 2 Mark Skaife Holden Racing Team Holden Commodore (VE) 46 13 16 Paul Dumbrell HSV Dealer Team Holden Commodore (VE) 46 14 3 Jason Richards Tasman Motorsport Holden Commodore (VE) 46 15 50 Andrew Thompson Paul Weel Racing Holden Commodore (VE) 46 16 17 Steven Johnson Dick Johnson Racing Ford Falcon (BF) 46 17 120 Steven Richards Ford Performance Racing Ford Falcon (BF) 46 18 5 Mark Winterbottom Ford Performance Racing Ford Falcon (BF) 46 19 55 Tony D'Alberto Rod Nash Racing Holden Commodore (VE) 46 20 11 Jack Perkins Perkins Engineering Holden Commodore (VE) 46 21 18 Will Davison Dick Johnson Racing Ford Falcon (BF) 46 22 14 Cameron McConville Brad Jones Racing Holden Commodore (VE) 46 23 88 Jamie Whincup Triple Eight Race Engineering Ford Falcon (BF) 45 + 1 lap 24 26 Marcus Marshall Britek Motorsport Ford Falcon (BF) 45 + 1 lap 25 777 Michael Patrizi Ford Rising Stars Racing Ford Falcon (BF) 44 + 2 laps Ret 12 Andrew Jones Brad Jones Racing Holden Commodore (VE) 24 Retired Ret 021 Daniel Gaunt Team Kiwi Racing Ford Falcon (BF) 15 Retired Ret 51 Greg Murphy Tasman Motorsport Holden Commodore (VE) 4 Retired Ret 7 Todd Kelly Perkins Engineering Holden Commodore (VE) 2 Retired Fastest Lap: Craig Lowndes (Triple Eight Race Engineering) - 1:10.9847 on lap 11 Source:
Championship standings After round 14 of 14. Pos No Name Team Points188Jamie WhincupTeamVodafone333225Mark WinterbottomFord Performance Racing307931Garth TanderToll Holden Racing Team30484888Craig LowndesTeamVodafone2871518Will DavisonDick Johnson Racing2495
Support categories The 2008 NRMA Motoring + Services Grand Finale had seven support categories. Category Round winner Fujitsu V8 Supercar Series Jack Perkins (Holden VZ Commodore) Australian Formula Ford Championship Daniel Erickson (Spectrum 011b Ford) V8 Utes Series Grant Johnson (Holden VE Ute SS) Aussie Racing Cars Nick Simmons (Falcon-Yamaha) Australian Mini Challenge Jason Bargwanna (Mini Cooper R56) Touring Car Masters John Bowe (Chevrolet Camaro) Group A/C Paul Stubber (Holden LX Torana A9X)
References
External links Official timing and results