The ultimate dilemma: Bathurst or the championship?

Wins versus consistency. Bathurst versus the championship. They’re age-old dilemmas.

Actually, probably not, but we’re claiming it for the sake of a good opener.

As we hit the halfway mark in the season and head to our home round, the Ipswich SuperSprint, all eyes are on the six-time champ, who is sitting tantalisingly close to the series lead.

Our very own Jamie Whincup is more than familiar with the pressures of trying to bag that coveted championship, and while he is well aware that consistency can win or lose a title (we’re looking at you, 2016), he’s the first to admit that consistency just isn’t quite satisfying enough. Wins are where it’s at.

Speaking with the Gold Coast Bulletin, J-Dub said, “The biggest challenge we have got in our sport – and I’m sure it’s the same in any sport, or business for that matter – is to be consistent.

“It is so difficult to be consistently good week in, week out. Therefore the biggest prize of the year is the championship because that rewards the team that has been the most consistent over a long period of time.”

With six second-place finishes under his belt this year, Jamie finally broke his 2017 victory drought in Townsville. It was certainly a sweet feeling to see 88 back on the top step and we’re hoping that that was the first win of many for the remainder of the season.

“It had been a little bit of a drought but we got one (in Townsville) and hopefully we can build some momentum and we can win races and be in contention,” Jamie continued.

The wins rolled in thick last year, but it was that old chestnut, consistency, that let him down when the points really mattered at the enduros. Meanwhile, his stealthy teammate SVG chipped away at the podiums throughout the second half of the season and claimed the crown.

The big question is though… the championship or Bathurst?

Up until recently, we would have put decent money on the RBHRT duo being fully on the championship side of the fence.

“Lowndesy will say Bathurst any day of the week. I am by far the championship,” said the bloke who’s won the race four times. Team Owner Roland Dane also wastes no time in claiming the Great Race as his holy grail.

However, SVG has thrown a spanner into the joint of this nice little Triple Eight see-saw. No longer seeing it as just another 300-point weekend, he’s got his eyes set on that Peter Brock trophy.

“I really do want that one (Bathurst) now, certainly more than I did before,” he told the Daily Telegraph. “In previous years I have never focused on it — it was just worth 300 points to me — but now, after having ticked off some other boxes, it has become a real goal.

“There is certainly a bit more desire to win it after having won that championship.”

As for us, perhaps we’re greedy, but we’ll take all of the above with a side of fries.

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