Jamie Whincup revs up for biggest test

JAMIE Whincup is bracing himself for his greatest battle, the star declaring his bid to snare a fourth title as his biggest challenge yet.

Jamie Whincup

THREE-TIME championship winner Jamie Whincup is bracing himself for his greatest battle, with the Team Vodafone star declaring his bid to snare his fourth title is the biggest challenge of his career.

Leading the championship by 100 points ahead of today's first race at Queensland Raceway, the Holden top gun said the title would be an epic four-way fight between himself, Craig Lowndes, Will Davison and Mark Winterbottom until the very last round.

With eight rounds left in the season, Holden's Whincup said he had never faced such stiff competition, and winning a title this year against the three drivers desperate to end his domination of the sport would be his crowning achievement.

Ford Performance Racing's (FPR) Winterbottom and Davison were out to stop him.

"It has so far been the toughest championship," Whincup said.

"Without doubt it has been our biggest challenge.

"We struggled to get a win at one stage and that hasn't happened for five years."

He said FPR posed a "massive challenge" and had pushed his team hard, having the quickest car at one stage.

"We have had a massive challenge from FPR. Those guys are pushing us so hard. We have had to step up to challenge for race wins and for a while we didn't have the quickest car. I feel we do now but this thing is far from over.

FPR seemed to have stalled, but Whincup was confident they would come back.

"This thing is far from over. They will step up again and it will be on," he said.

"We are definitely in contention, which is the main thing at this stage."