He missed out on a drought-breaking fourth championship to teammate Jamie Whincup, but Craig Lowndes has been crowned V8 Supercars’ best and fairest.

The popular veteran was awarded the highly-prized Barry Sheene Medal, voted by motorsport media, at the V8s end-of-season gala in Sydney on Monday night.

It’s the fourth time Lowndes has won the gong, giving him some bragging rights over two-time medallist Whincup.

But the 2013 champion, who clinched his record-tying fifth title with a podium finish in the season-ending Sydney 500 on Sunday, didn’t walk away empty handed.

Whincup took out the award for most pole positions for the season, while Red Bull Racing Australia was named champion team of the year and Holden the champion manufacturer.

Kiwi Scott McLaughlin was named rookie of the year after claiming two victories and becoming the youngest ever winner of a V8 Supercars race in his debut season.