Reigning V8 Supercar champion Jamie Whincup has risen above controversy and crashes to win both races in an action-packed day of racing at Symmons Plains in Tasmania.

After shunting team-mate Craig Lowndes out of the lead in an inside overtaking move from race one, Whincup led from start to finish from Ford rival Mark Winterbottom to win race two.

Lowndes, who suffered a stewards’ penalty for taking up a rear window hole, recovered from starting race two at the back of the grid to finish fifth.

Lowndes’ aggressive overtaking of almost the entire field helped to ease an otherwise dark day.

Fabian Coulthard took third ahead of Volvo driver Scott McLaughlin, who fought off Lowndes in the final two laps to maintain his position.

The madcap second race was hit with a first-lap crash by Volvo’s Robert Dahlgren and James Courtney, who came together in the congestion at Symmons Plains’ hairpin bend.

Erebus Motorsport also struggled, with Will Davison finishing 23rd after ending up in the gravel at the hairpin, and Lee Holdsworth lifted up in a supercar sandwich in a congested racetrack.

Late in the race, Chaz Mostert rear-ended Rick Kelly, sending him to the gravel for the second straight race.

The Tasmanian meet concludes with a final 200 kilometre race on Sunday.