Davison lamented running out of momentum in the final race, where he started from the front of the grid but was unable to keep full pace with the field with the wearing tyres.

“It's great to be here," he said of his podium appearance, "Any day to be on the podium is a great day, especially for me. I'm a little disappointed though because we did go into the last race leading, but having used all of our tyres. And Lee [Holdsworth] did a good job to jump me in the pits, which ultimately became the difference.”

Holdsworth completed a troubled weekend by claiming a race podium in third spot, no doubt wondering what he could have done had he not been penalised after race one, while Rick Kelly - the man Holdsworth was adjudged to have hit unfairly in the opener - completing the top five.

Just 26 cars took the start of race three after the shenanigans of the day's first encounter, with Craig Lowndes, Russell Ingall - one of those involved in the incident provoked by a clash between Steven and Jason Richards - Paul Dumbrell, Fabien Coulthard and Jason Bright rounding out the top ten.

The Series now has a five-week sabbatical while the Beijing Olympics take place before returning for the first of the two endurance races, the L&H 500 at Phillip Island, on the weekend of 12-14 September.