Ford’s Mark Winterbottom has extended his V8 Supercars championship lead with victory in Saturday’s 200km race in Townsville.

The Prodrive Racing Australia star claimed his fifth win of the season as he held off teammate David Reynolds in the 70-lap race.

Winterbottom, who held a 95-point lead in the standings going into the race, finished a mere 0.2706 seconds ahead of Reynolds.

Holden’s Fabian Coulthard came home third a further second behind the two Fords.

It’s the eighth race win by Prodrive Racing from 16

starts this season.

Winterbottom now holds a 176-point lead over Coulthard, who leapfrogged Holden’s Craig Lowndes in the standings with the Red Bull Racing driver finishing 14th.

Defending champion Jamie Whincup came home ninth, an improvement on his recent finishes but still well behind Winterbottom.

Pole-sitter Chaz Mostert faded late in the race to finish eighth, also giving up crucial points to Winterbottom in the title race.

The Townsville 400 wraps up on Sunday with another 200km race.