Six-time Supercars champion Jamie Whincup has equalled Craig Lowndes all-time winning record with a drought-breaking victory in Sunday’s 200km race in Townsville.

Whincup’s first win for the Supercars season was the 105th of his career, bringing him level with Triple Eight Racing teammate Lowndes for the most victories in the category’s history.

“It took a while and what a relief,” Whincup said.

“We dug deep today the guys did a great job.”

Despite DJR Team Penske star Scott McLaughlin scoring his fifth win for the season in Saturday’s race and shooting to the top of the overall standings, the ultra-consistent Whincup shaved the deficit to six points.

After starting from pole position for the ninth time this season, McLaughlin led in the early stages but after emerging from his first pit stop Whincup pounced.

McLaughlin was up for the fight, but he couldn’t find a way to reel in Whincup’s Holden, as he extended his unrivalled record at the Reid Park street circuit to nine wins.

Defending series champion Shane van Gisbergen gave Triple Eight two drivers on the podium with his third-placed finish.

Prodrive Racing Australia duo Mark Winterbottom and Chaz Mostert finished fourth and fifth respectively, in a much improved weekend for their Falcons.

McLaughlin’s teammate Fabian Coulthard came to Townsville as the championship leader but endured a horror weekend.

After finishing 11th on Saturday, things went from bad to worse for Coulthard who got locked in a bumping duel with Lowndes on the first lap.

Two laps later he made contact with Holden’s Tim Slade causing him to spin and drawing the ire of stewards who slapped him with a 15 second penalty.

Coulthard finished 21st and is now 158 points off the pace, while Slade later withdrew from the race with a mechanical issue.

Walkinshaw Racing’s James Courtney finished eighth, breaking into the top 10 for the first time since the opening weekend in Adelaide.

The series will now move to Ipswich in three weeks.