See below to read how the 2012 Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000 unfolded live on Speedcafe.com’s Twitter feed.

V8 Supercars on warm-up lap for 2012 Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000. Brilliant conditions for racing.

Drivers to start in Top 10: Davison, Dumbrell, Van Giz, Winterbottom, Coulthard, Tander, Slade, Reynolds, Luff, Owen.

Only co-drivers starting: Dumbrell (#1), Luff (#888), Ritter (#34), Reid (#91), Perkins (#33), Pye (#30).

Cars currently forming up on the grid following the warm-up lap.

Davison leads across the top of the hill for the first time after hanging on around the outside of Dumbrell through Griffin’s Bend.

Van Gisbergen takes Dumbrell for second at Forrest’s Elbow.

Order end Lap 1: Davison, Van Giz, Dumbrell, Coulthard, Tander, Slade, Winterbottom, Reynolds, Luff, Bright.

Biggest losers off the start have been Winterbottom (down three spots to seventh) and Owen (down four to 13th).

Dumbrell told his pace is excellent following the early loss of positions. Engineer Mark Dutton suggests to stiffen the front bar.

Lap 4 Van Gisbergen is just 0.5s behind leader Davison. He’s told to make a fuel trim change and to”look after the car”.

Van Gisbergen has closed to within 0.2s of Davison after running a 2:10.09s time on Lap 4.

Lap 6 Davison has increased his lead to 0.7s but reports he’s suffering from “a lot of slow speed understeer”.

“Hopefully it gets better as the fuel goes down,” says Davison of his balance issue.

Every car in the race has recorded a best lap time in the 2:10s bracket except for the bottom three (Reid, Pye and Waters).

Lap 7 Davison has run the first 2:09 of the race – a 2:09.74s lap to extend his lead over Van Gisbergen to 1.7s.

Race Control notes that the window rubber is coming loose on James Courtney’s car.

Rick Kelly reports that he may have a tyre going down as it’s vibrating on the straights.

Lap 10 order: Davison, Van Giz, Dumbrell, Coulthard, Tander, Slade, Winterbottom, Reynolds, Luff, Bright.

Lap 10 Rick Kelly pits with left-rear tyre issue. Luff pits too for fuel.

Luff’s stop was not scheduled. He had a left-front tyre problem. This could turn into the story of the race.

Screens show that front-left window rubber on Courtney’s car is very much adrift. Owen is trying to pass the #22 for 10th.

Webb pulls of a big move into the Chase on Owen for 11th.

Lap 12 Fiore pits for tyres and fuel and stays in the car. The car has an issue with its left-front and will be pushed back into its bay.

“I’ve still got the clutch in and it still won’t move,” says Fiore, who is stranded in pitlane.

Fiore’s car has now been wheeled into the garage on go-jacks.

Fiore now reports that a tyre blew coming out of the Chase “and then I had no brakes”.

Lap 14 Webb takes Courtney for 10th. HRT car had gone through tarmac run-off at Skyline and pits next time by. McConville into the car.

Now out of the car, Fiore says that “it could have been a broken bottom pin in the upright”.

It is now confirmed that Courtney had pitted with a delaminating tyre.

Davison’s lead is now out to almost 5s with Van Gisbergen holding up Dumbrell, Coulthard and Tander in second.

Slade in sixth meanwhile is holding up Winterbottom, Reynolds and Bright.

Todd Kelly is asked if he has a tyre letting go and is told to pit. He responds by saying he’s not coming in.

Lap 18 Perkins pits and hands the #33 Fujitsu Holden over to Premat.

Lap 19 Coulthard and Winterbottom pit from fourth and seventh. Driver changes for both cars.

Lap 20 Jonny Reid’s car stops at the exit of The Cutting. Davison pits immediately anticipating a Safety Car.

Second placed Van Gisbergen elects not to pit as the Safety Car is called.

Reynolds, Bright and Owen also file past without pitting while the rest dive in.

Davison’s lead had been out to 7s before the yellows flew.

Van Giz was not held by the Safety Car and pits next time by without losing time. Reynolds, Bright and Owen follow.

Order under Safety Car: McIntyre, Youlden, Luff, Canto, R.Kelly, Percat, Besnard, Jones, Whincup, Richards.

Patrizi confirms his car had a driveline issue and is out for the day. He says he’ll now head up to the top of the Mountain to watch the race!

Car #9 engineer Dave Stuart says the left-rear tyre that came off his car after 21 laps was “perfect”.

Race set to restart on Lap 24.

Luff, despite significantly older tyres, has taken second from Youlden at Griffins.

A.Davison told to stay off Griffins exit kerb with left-rear tyre.

Whincup is stuck behind the BJR pair of Jones and Besnard, who are battling for seventh.

Richards runs wide in the Chase and loses positions to Thompson, McConville and Caruso. Car #5 is now 13th.

McIntyre and Luff are currently battling it out at the front. They’ve pulled 3s on third placed Youlden.

Lap 30 order: McIntyre, Luff, Youlden, Canto, R.Kelly, Percat, Jones, Whincup, Besnard, Thompson.

Whincup told to try and pass Jones in front rather than just sitting behind saving fuel and tyres.

Race pace in the top 10 is now drifting into the high 2:10s. Davison’s 2:09.74s from Lap 10 is still the fastest of the race.

Lap 32 Canto takes Youlden for third at Murray’s Corner. Whincup pits from eighth.

Whincup staying in car. Tyres, fuel and removing front blanking. Car had damaged left-front. Driver told to watch the kerbs.

Whincup rejoins in 27th position. Front-left tyre was likely damaged by being too aggressive when the pressures were low after the restart.

Lap 34 Luff takes the lead from McIntyre but will pit shortly.

McIntyre pits after losing a heap of time. He will stay in the car.

McIntyre is told there was nothing wrong with the tyre set just taken off the #6 car, just rubber build up.

Lap 37 Luff and R.Kelly pit from the top 10. Pad change for #888. Driver changes for both cars.

“Bring the tyres up nice and gently and be careful of the Turn 2 kerb,” Lowndes is told.

Lap 37 Percat has hit the wall across the top and is going to the garage.

Replays show only that Percat’s incident happened before The Dipper. Blanchard meanwhile pits #7 and stays in the car.

Drivers being warned that there may be oil across the top of the Mountain.

Lap 39 Safety Car is called. Teams lining up for pitstops.

Order as they head to the lane is: Canto, Youlden, Jones, Bensard, Thompson, McConville, Caruso, Richards, McLaughlin, Simonsen.

Whincup and McIntyre will file to the front as all others in front pit.

Order on Lap 40 under SC: Whincup, McIntyre, Canto, Youlden, Lowndes, Ritter, Jones, McLaughlin, Simonsen, McConville.

The Safety Car was reportedly called for debris.

Several lost time queuing behind their team-mates. Thompson is one of the biggest losers, dropping from fifth to 18th.

Race will restart next time by, which is Lap 42.

Whincup has dipped into the 2:09s for the first time on Lap 43. He leads McIntyre by 1.7s.

Alex Davison says the Tru-Blu Falcon is intermittently cutting out. “Understood” is the reply.

Whincup’s lead is now out to 5.7s as McIntyre holds off Canto, Youlden and Lowndes.

Lowndes has taken Youlden for fourth .

Whincup continues to pull away from the field at over 1s per lap. McIntyre is struggling in this stint.

Meanwhile at Lockwood Racing, Besnard remains buried in 19th after losing out queuing behind the sister Team BOC entry in the last stops.

Lap 49 Percat rejoins the race in car #2 but pits again after just one lap.

Lap 50 order: Whincup, McIntyre, Canto, Lowndes, Youlden, RItter, Jones, McLaughlin, McConville, Simonsen.

Whincup leads by 12s. Train stacked behind McIntyre consists of Canto, Lowndes, Youlden, Ritter, Jones and McLaughlin.

Alex Davison is still pressing on in Tru-Blu. Car is currently 19th.

Lap 54 Gap from 1st to 2nd now 16s. Gap 2nd to 14th is also 16s.

Lap 54 Owen had just left the pits in car #49 and has crashed at Griffins Bend.

Safety Car is called for Owen incident as McIntyre runs off at Hell Corner and rejoins 17th.

Owen appeared to have no front brakes and made heavy side-on contact with the outside wall.

Owen is talking to his team on the radio and is waiting for the medical staff to help him out of the car.

Whincup leads the pack to the pitlane. He had enjoyed a 18s lead. Owen is not out of his car and walking away.

Baird and Thompson file to the front having elected not to stop.

Order under SC: Baird, Thompson, Dumbrell, Waters, Reynolds, Bright, Caruso, Courtney, Van Gisbergen, Winterbottom.

Lowndes is down to 13th after queuing behind Whincup. Davison is back in #6 and is 21st.

Waters now pits to extract himself from the lead pack.

Safety Car will pull in this lap, leaving the race to restart on Lap 59.

Lap 61 Dumbrell takes second from Baird. Thompson leads by just 1.5s.

Reynolds has now also made his way around Baird.

Murphy on the radio demanding to know who’s driving the #66. Answer is Klien. Sounds like fun in the battle for 14th!

W.Davison is 18th and complaining of his brakes: “It’s really not pulling up and then it’s locking fronts on turn-in because I can’t slow down.”

Lap 63 Van Gisbergen pits from eighth. Screens show that Van Gisbergen had a tyre problem on his left-rear.

Bright has lost position to Caruso and Courtney since the restart but now passes Baird for sixth.

Lap 65 Baird has fallen to ninth on his fading tyres.

Baird to pit this lap for a driver change.

Lap 67 Thompson pits from the lead. Slade to climb aboard.

Davison has been given a drive-through penalty for a pitlane infringement.

Replays confirm that the #6 car’s wheels had been spinning while on its jacks in pitlane. Davison pits from 13th to serve penalty.

“You’ve got to be kidding me don’t you? Oh mate, can this day get any worse,” says Davison.

“It’s bloody disgraceful mate, that’s what it is,” Davison continues as he rejoins in 20th.

The Caruso/Ritter car was being investigated for an unsafe release but has been cleared of any rule breach.

Order on Lap 70: Dumbrell, Reynolds, Caruso, Courtney, Bright, Winterbottom, Johnson, Webb, Lowndes, Murphy.

Lap 74 Johnson pits from 10th after an 18 lap stint. Brake pad and driver changes underway.

Webb pits from 7th after a 19 lap stint. McLaughlin in.

Winterbottom has been on the tail of fifth placed Bright for several laps and is told his brakes need air.

Lap 76 Winterbottom takes fifth from Bright at Griffin’s Bend.

Gaps at the front: Dumbrell 3.7s Reynolds 1.3s Caruso 3.1s Courtney 8.9s Winterbottom.

Lap 77 Lowndes pits from seventh. Coulthard pits from 10th. Luff and Besnard get in.

Lap 80 order: Dumbrell, Reynolds, Caruso, Courtney, Winterbottom, Bright, Murphy, D’Alberto, T.Kelly, Klien.

“I think we need more pre-load. Front bar change is helping a little downhill, not uphill,” says fifth placed Winterbottom of his car.

Winterbottom now says he has a tyre vibration.

“Definite tyre, definite tyre, left-rear,” adds Winterbottom. He will pit this lap. Driver change coming.

Lap 81 Dumbrell pits from his 4.2s lead. Winterbottom pits from fifth as promised.

Dumbrell, Winterbottom, Bright, Murphy, D’Alberto and Klien have in fact all pitted this lap.

Dumbrell stayed in the #1 TeamVodafone car and will complete his required laps in this stint.

Lap 83 Reynolds, Caruso, Courtney, Wall and Davison pit from the top five spots.

McIntyre is back in car #6 with new brakes. He’s now 21st.

Van Gisbergen currently leads after being put off-sequence by the tyre problem in his last stint.

Order on Lap 84 following recent round of stops: Van Gisbergen, Dumbrell, Canto, McLaughlin, McConville, RIchards, Luff, Ritter, Holdsworth, A.Davo.

Van Gisbergen only “one or two laps away” from next stop. “Concentrate and be smooth,” he’s told.

Richards to be given bad sportsmanship flag for blocking Luff in the battle for sixth.

Lap 88 Luff has taken Richards for sixth. Leader Van Gisbergen will pit this lap.

Order/gaps Lap 90: Dumbrell 7.9s Canto 3.8s McLaughlin 6.0s McConville 2.6s Luff 0.6s Richards 5.1s Ritter 0.3s Holdsworth 2.7s A.Davo 13.1s O.Kelly.

Youlden has taken over from Van Gisbergen and rejoined in 20th.

Lap 91 Holdsworth in this lap for a driver change.

Lap 92 Besnard is off at McPhillamy. Car is facing backwards on grass at exit.

“Something broke, the steering just went heavy and we were bloody lucky to keep it off the fence,” says Besnard. Safety Car called.

“These dudes are coming past here pretty damn quick,” adds Besnard, who remains stranded at McPhillamy.

“I don’t think it was a puncture, it may have been, but I think something else broke,” concludes Besnard.

Those to pit under this Safety Car have included the formerly second placed Canto, fourth placed Luff and seventh placed Holdsworth.

Order under SC: Dumbrell, McConville, Richards, Ritter, Canto, O.Kelly, Jones, Pither, McIntyre, Youlden.

The Besnard car is now back in pitlane. “The steering is bloody heavy,” he says before heading back into the fray.

“It turns right ok, maybe a bit heavy, but left it’s bloody heavy. It almost feels normal turning right,” continues Besnard.

Safety Car lights are out. Race will restart on Lap 95.

McIntyre has spun at The Cutting on the restart lap and is facing the wrong way. He eventually rejoins 23rd.

Replays show McIntyre was tagged by Youlden.

The Douglas/Pye Holden has gone to the garage with a mechanical issue.

Order Lap 100: Dumbrell, McConville, Richards, Pither, Canto, Jones, O.Kelly, Youlden, McLaughlin, Reindler.

Circuit TV reports that the Douglas/Pye Holden had dropped a cylinder.

McIntyre will pit as he is worried about the tyres. Driver change.

FPR had told McIntyre. “It’s your call, pit if you think it’s unsafe to continue”. The car sits 22nd before the stop.

Now in the car, Davison asks of the condition of the outgoing tyre: “Tyre is screwed, tyre is screwed,” is the reply.

Lap 105 Dumbrell has been punching out 2:10s since the restart and holds a 5.5s lead over McConville.

“Something is bent in the left rear. It doesn’t feel right,” says Davison.

Lap 105 Jones is off at Murray’s corner. The car is beached.

Safety Car deployed for the fifth time. “I braked early into this last one (corner) and it just wouldn’t stop,” says Jones.

Dumbrell’s seven second lead is about to disappear as the field pits.

Canto enters the pits nine seconds behind the leader in fifth but has fuel-in-hand and should move up.

The top 19 all pit. Whincup escapes narrowly ahead of Reynolds. The #52 had fuel in hand but was delayed on its exit.

Order under SC on Lap 107: Whincup, Reynolds, Ingall, Courtney, Caruso, Winterbottom, Webb, R.Kelly, A.Davison, Murphy.

W.Davison meanwhile benefited from that as he was almost a lap down when the yellows flew.

Strategies have been reset at the front with only one more stop required for fuel. Tyres are the question mark though of course.

Just two cars have retired so far: Patrizi/Reid (driveline failure Lap 20), Owen/Morris (crash after brake pad change Lap 54).

#30 is also not expected to return to the track after its engine problems.

Race will restart on Lap 109.

Craig Lowndes’ pitlane release is being investigated. He emerged side-by-side with Wall.

“It’s just got ridiculous oversteer. I can’t even turn the steering wheel and the back is coming around,” says W.Davison in 20th.

Lap 112 Whincup has edged away to a 1s margin over Reynolds.

Lowndes cleared of any rule breach over pitlane exit at last stop. He currently runs 12th.

Lap 112 Ingall pits from fourth with a tyre issue. Bright is also back in as the trouble for #8 continues.

Lap 113 Besnard is in the sand trap at Murray’s Corner. Safety Car number six is the result #V8SC

Leaders don’t pit. Van Gisbergen does from 10th. A.Davison, W.Davison and Gaunt follow.

Those pitting now will still need another stop but will have a nice little ‘fuel in hand’ advantage at the last stops.

Lights out on Safety Car. Race to restart on Lap 115.

W.Davison has restarted 21st with fuel, new tyres and brakes.

Leaders predictably tentative on restart lap with low tyre pressures. Whincup records a 2:11.12s and is 0.5s clear of Reynolds.

Lap 118 Reynolds is pressing race leader Whincup hard at the front. Official gap is 0.3s.

Engineer James Small asking Reynolds to take clean air when he can get it.

“It’s rolling all over the place, it’s got no grip,” says Davison of the #6.

Order Lap 120: Whincup, Reynolds, Courtney, Caruso, Winterbottom, Webb, R.Kelly, Murphy, Lowndes, Slade.

R.Kelly will let Murphy past for eighth according to #51 radio.

R.Kelly continues to hold seventh from Murphy. Lowndes is just 0.5s further back in ninth.

Murphy now instructed to let Lowndes go if necessary. “Fuel is way more important at the moment,” he’s told.

Lap 124 Whincup is balancing his lead with requests to save a bit of fuel. His margin over Reynolds is currently 1.7s.

Winterbottom meanwhile is being told to save fuel but “use what you have to to hold position.”

Whincup being asked to “lose a little bit of lap time”. Unsure if they’re worried about fuel or tyres.

Lap 126 Lowndes takes Murphy for eighth at Griffin’s Bend.

At Phillip Island earlier in the year Reynolds said he’d run onto the podium naked if he finished Bathurst in the top three. Yikes!

Official crowd figure has been released as 207,000 for the weekend. A new record.

D’Alberto meanwhile has been in the pits for the last five laps with steering problems.

Mark Dutton is asking Whincup for fuel. Driver told he can add another 0.2s per lap. Five more laps until the car’s next stop.

Lap 129 Lowndes has taken R.Kelly for seventh at Hell Corner.

Winterbottom pitting from fifth this lap. He’s currently 8.6s behind leader Whincup.

Lap 130 order: Whincup, Reynolds, Courtney, Caruso, Webb, Lowndes, R.Kelly, Slade, Murphy, Wall.

“We’ll have to stop again, we won’t make it on fuel. Just push, it’s all you can do,” Campbell Little tells Winterbottom.

Winterbottom stopped because his left-front tyre was damaged.

Lap 131 Davison has gone off at The Chase. “Holy shit man, the pedal just went straight to the floor,” says Davison as he limps to the pits.

“Zero, zero brakes,” adds Davison as he parks the car in the garage.

R.Kelly pits from seventh.

Gaps at front: Whincup 1.9s Reynolds 1.7s Courtney 0.7s Caruso 5.3s Webb.

Reports suggesting that earlier contact between McIntyre and Youlden led to Watts link failure on #6 car, which cut the brakes and sent him off.

Lap 134 Reynolds in this lap, concerned about tyres.

Whincup leads Reynolds, Caruso and Webb to the pitlane.

Murphy, Wall and Holdsworth also arrive in pitlane.

Lap 135 Courtney leads while Whincup has emerged comfortably ahead of Reynolds. Courtney pitting this lap.

Lowndes pits too, 9.9s behind Courtney. Slade follows Lowndes in.

Caruso has jumped Courtney in those stops. Order: Whincup, Reynolds, Caruso, Courtney.

Ingall pits from second and will receive new brakes. Race leader A.Davison in very shortly too.

A.Davison pits so order is now: Whincup, Reynolds, Caruso, Courtney, Winterbottom (needs to pit again), Webb, Lowndes, Johnson, Slade.

Whincup being told that Reynolds does not want to pass as he is saving fuel behind.

“Just try and stay in that tow,” engineer James Small tells Reynolds.

Winterbottom pits for more fuel.

Courtney has retaken third from Caruso. He has a lap more fuel than his closest rivals.

Whincup being informed of Courtney’s fuel advantage and presence immediately behind Reynolds. Top three just 2s apart.

Replays show Johnson touching the wall at the exit of Forrest’s Elbow. He sits 13th.

Order Lap 140 Whincup, Reynolds, Courtney, Caruso, Webb, Lowndes, Slade, R.Kelly, Holdsworth, Ingall.

Lap 141 Courtney takes second from Reynolds at Forrest’s Elbow.

Instructions to Whincup: “Use as much fuel as you need to stay in front while obviously conserving as much as you can.”

Lap 143 Whincup, Courtney, Reynolds and Caruso still covered by less than three seconds.

Reynolds sets his fastest lap of the race last time by.

“Excellent work, that was your fastest lap of the race, fuel is good, 17 laps to go,” Small tells Reynolds.

Lowndes is ahead of Webb in fifth and 6.6s behind fourth placed Caruso.

Lap 147 Reynolds is starting to put the pressure back on Courtney. Whincup 1.2s Courtney 0.5s Reynolds.

Courtney saying he’s got another tyre issue. Being asked if he wants to pit.

Whincup’s lead over Courtney now out to 2s. Courtney continues on.

“Focus and drive the thing as straight as you can,” is the instruction to Courtney. Reynolds is all over him.

Lap 149 Whincup’s lead out to 2.1s and he’s using the opportunity to save fuel.

Reynolds takes Courtney for second heading into The Chase. Whincup is 1.2s up the road.

Lap 151 Reynolds closes gap to leader Whincup down to 0.8s. Courtney 1.2s further adrift.

10 laps to go: Whincup and Reynolds just 0.5s apart.

Top 10 order/gaps: Whincup 0.5s Reynolds 2.1s Courtney 0.4s Caruso 4.0s Lowndes 4.6s Webb 9s Slade 4.4s Holdsworth.

Lap 153 Gap at front remains 0.5s. “Great lap on fuel mate, make sure you’re happy with your bias,” Dutton tells Whincup.

R.Kelly pits from ninth for fuel. Ingall now ninth, Moffat 10th in Tru-Blu.

Lap 154 Whincup leads Reynolds by just 0.4s.

Fifth placed Lowndes is now  just 2.2s behind third-placed Courtney.

Lap 155 Whincup being told he still needs to save more fuel. Gap back to Reynolds is 0.9s

Lap 156 Whincup asked three times that lap to save fuel. Gap is 0.4s.

Courtney, Caruso and Lowndes are nose-to-tail in the battle for third.

Lap 157 Whincup 0.7s ahead of Reynolds with five laps to go.

Lap 158 Whincup 0.5s ahead of Reynolds. Both lapping in mid 2:10s. Reynolds being told “Whincup is tighter than us.”

Lowndes has taken fourth from Caruso.

Lap 159 Whincup’s lead is down to 0.4s.

Reynolds being warned of slow car across the top of the Mountain.

“Keep him behind and conserve  as much as you can mate, we’re almost there,” says Dutton to Whincup.

Lap 160 Whincup 0.4s in front of Reynolds as Lowndes takes Courtney for third.

Just 0.2s between the two leaders across the top for the second last time.

Final lap begins with Whincup and Reynolds 0.4s apart.

Whincup told if he conserves across the top he can run flat into The Chase.

Whincup allowed to use a richer fuel setting down Conrod.

Whincup holds on to win by just 0.3s from Reynolds.

“Unbelievable,” says Jamie Whincup.

Top 10 order: Whincup, Reynolds, Lowndes, Courtney, Caruso, Webb, Slade, Holdsworth, Ingall, Moffat.

10th to 20th: Winterbottom, Van Gisbergen, Murphy, Wall, R.Kelly, Perkins, Johnson, T.Kelly, Reindler, Waters.

Whincup is now a four-time Bathurst winner while Dumbrell gets his first.