Ford driver Mark Winterbottom has claimed his first V8 Supercars championship at the season-ending Sydney 500.

Winterbottom wrapped up the title on Saturday evening after finishing fifth and third respectively in the round’s opening sprint races.

The results take his lead over Holden rival Craig Lowndes to 220 points – a gap too big to overtake with only 150 points available in Sunday’s final race.

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“Thank you, thank you, thank you,” an emotional Winterbottom said over the team radio.

“I’ve got a few tears under this visor – I’m speechless.

“I wish my mum was here; I wish she was here.”

The man affectionately known as ‘Frosty’ has finished inside the top five every year since he joined Prodrive Racing Australia in 2008 but never crowned champion.

With six-time winner Jamie Whincup out of contention this year, fellow Red Bull Racing driver Lowndes was Winterbottom’s only remaining challenger heading into the season finale.

But disaster struck the ever-smiling veteran, who crashed in the first qualifying session and had to start race one from last on the grid.

He ended up finishing 15th, then seventh in the second sprint.

Lowndes has gone 16 seasons without winning a V8 trophy, his third and last being in 1999.

Winterbottom will have to wait until after Sunday’s race to be officially crowned champion.

His title win ends a decade-long drought for Ford, with Russell Ingall the last man to steer the Blue Oval to victory in 2005.

Whincup won race two on Saturday ahead of David Reynolds and Winterbottom, bringing his career tally to 97.

But the V8 great didn’t want to take the shine off his fierce rival’s achievement.

“He’s had a great year – he’s been solid,” said Whincup.

“Plenty of critics have said he won’t do it, that he’s a choker, but credit where credit’s due.

“I’ll happily hand over the No.1 to him tomorrow afternoon.”

Winterbottom, 34, dedicated his victory to his mum June, who died of cancer in 2011.

All year, he’s worn a helmet with her photo on the back.

“I’m numb,” he added after stepping out of the car.

“We’ve fought for a long time for this, I’ve been at the team for a long time and we got it done.

“Thank you to all the Ford fans that have stuck by us. We had promised but finally we got No.1 on the door.

“Party’s on me guys.”