After a strong fourth in Saturday's 59 laps race on the streets of Hamilton, Craig was well-placed for a third position finish in the Sunday event when brake failure put him into the pits and many laps down.

"Very disappointing … I was really looking after the car and the fuel, just cruising along, and really felt I had a handle on the guys just in front of me," Craig Lowndes explained.

"Saturday's race had been drama free … I didn't have the pace of the front guys but we were good enough for fourth, and after the dramas of last year, I was happy with that. That made Sunday doubly disappointing."

Friday

Practice saw Lowndes not immediately happy with his Vodafone Commodore in the first combined session but by the end of the second session, he was fourth fastest and much happier.

“We had a slow start through the first session making sure we got the car balance right and getting me comfortable in the car. A few changes in the second session gave me some more drive and further increased my confidence.

“Fourth position tonight is quite satisfying given my personal history here on this track,” Craig said.

Saturday

Qualifying saw Craig fourth fastest again in the opening leg, dropping to 10th in the second leg after being blocked at the very last corner of what would have been his fastest lap.

In the Shootout, on a track greasy with light rain, Lowndes was at his brilliant best and placed the car fourth fastest despite all other cars in the Top Ten running on a drier track.

Saturday's race was uneventful, Craig maintaining position at the start and throughout the race, running with the leaders but without the pace to challenge for a podium.

"It's a great result for us after an ordinary 2009 race here. We managed to turn the tables and this result gives me great confidence for tomorrow," Craig said.

Sunday

Round eight of the V8 Supercar Championship saw Craig qualifying fifth quickest in the lightening 20 minute session, maintaining that position during the opening laps of the race.

An early Safety Car saw him queue up behind teammate Whincup in pitlane, a delay that dropped him a couple of positions, but he worked his way forward again until lap 26 when he had a sudden brake failure.

Lucky not to hit a wall, Craig managed to get the brakeless Vodafone Commodore into pitlane where a brake line leak was diagnosed; by the time it was repaired he was four laps down & out of contention.

"I'm disappointed that we didn't really get the result we probably deserved today," Craig said.

"The changes that were made overnight really suited the conditions today and the car was a dream to drive … I experienced brake fade right from the start and then had the total failure … the car was great when I got back out but I was too far back to do anything."

V8 Supercar Championship Series(after 4 events):
1. Jamie Whincup, TeamVodafone, 1071
2. Mark Winterbottom, Ford Performance Racing, 873
3. James Courtney, Jim Beam Racing, 858
4. Lee Holdsworth, Garry Rogers Motorsport, 771
5. Garth Tander, Toll-Holden Racing Team, 723
6. Shane Van Gisbergen, Stone Brothers Racing, 710
7. Rick Kelly, Jack Daniel’s Racing, 716
8. Craig Lowndes, TeamVodafone, 711
9. Michael Caruso, Garry Rogers Motorsport, 702
10. Paul Dumbrell, The Bottle-O Racing Team, 618