• 

  Jamie Whincup resigns with TeamVodafone.

The three-time Bathurst-winning partnership of Craig Lowndes and Jamie Whincup will continue for three more years.

The pair yesterday announced they had re-signed with the Brisbane-based TeamVodafone. The decision ends month of speculation about current champion and series points leader Whincup heading overseas next year. However, the possibility of one-off overseas races has not been dismissed.

The Gold Coast racer said there were many factors that drove him to re-sign with TeamVodafone. "I have developed a great relationship with this fantastic team and personal sponsors and there will be a continuity of friendships I have gained with the engineer and staff at Triple 8 Racing," he said. "But mainly it was the fact that Lowndesy is staying on as my teammate for three years."

Whincup scotched rumours earlier this year that he would be offered a $300,000 contract, but did not disclose the contract amount. "Money is sort of irrelevant," he said. "There was no boardroom table stuff or wheeling and dealing involved."

"We did a deal with (team principal) Roland (Dane) on the back patio over a barbie. We had a few steaks and a few beers and were able to hit an agreement Aussie style and that was great."

Whincup said the deal was a "huge relief" after months of speculation about his future which included rumours of racing in European touring cars, Le Mans and the lucrative American NASCAR series, following in the footsteps of Gold Coast colleague Marcos Ambrose.

"I still have an ambition to drive a car overseas and although the absolute main priority is being as competitive as possible in the V8 championship, there is a possibility that I may be able to do something with some help from the team to drive a car overseas," he said.

"Roland has good contacts over in the UK. Maybe not in his team, but it would be great to use his contacts to experience another type of race car."

"It also helps that out sponsor Vodafone has worldwide status. It's a good company to be with for that reason. It aligns with my ambitions for overseas drives."

Lowndes' re-signing with TeamVodafone will bring his association with the team to eight years, the longest he has spent with any team. "I have enjoyed every minute since joining the team and I am looking forward to even more success," said Lowndes who is running fourth in the championship.

Dane said the re-signing of the two champion drivers together with a naming rights partnership was unique in sport.

TeamVodafone has won 39 races, the 2008 driver and team championships and two prestigious Bathurst 1000 crowns. The previous Bathurst win was under a different team sponsor.