Jamie Whincup has won an unprecedented seventh Supercars title after Scott McLaughlin's championship dream turned to ruin during an epic finale in Newcastle.

The Holden superstar celebrated just his fourth win of the season as McLaughlin squandered a 78-point series lead and pole position with three penalties during yesterday's 250-kilometre race.

McLaughlin kept on fighting and got into a title-winning position, then was hit with a third penalty for what appeared to be a telling pass with three laps to go, with the 25-second penalty confirming Whincup's title by 21 points.

McLaughlin's flying start from pole position wasn't a portent of things to come. He was penalised for speeding on his first entry to pit lane early in the race.

The Kiwi began weaving his way back into a desired position before an error drew a 15-second penalty on lap 47. His  Falcon made contact with Simona de Silvestro's Altima, causing her to spin out of turn two.

After Taz Douglas ploughed into the wall on the 55th lap, a safety car brought McLaughlin back to the field bumping him up to 16th.

As he went on another charge, Whincup's teammate Shane van Gisbergen allowed him to pass.

Scott Pye let McLaughlin past on the 67th lap, putting him into 13th and edging him closer to the 11th placed-finish he needed to clinch the championship.

Three laps later, the safety car was on the track again but there was more chaos after the restart when McLaughlin's Falcon was damaged after contact from Pye, who bizarrely dived inside of car No.17, and retiring veteran Jason Bright.

McLaughlin rose from the ashes once more, but his third penalty proved fatal, with stewards pinging him for what appeared to be a championship-winning pass of Whincup's Triple Eight Racing teammate Craig Lowndes.

SUNDAY

RACE 2 (95 laps, 249km)
1 Jamie Whincup (Holden) 2hrh9.8054sec
2 Shane Van Gisbergen (Holden) 2:00:14.2866
3 David Reynolds (Holden) 2:00:15.5222
4 Rick Kelly (Nissan) 2:00:16.4874
5 Michael Caruso (Nissan) 2:00:17.3556

CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS
1 Jamie Whincup (Holden) 3042
2 Scott McLaughlin (Ford) 3021
3 Fabian Coulthard (Ford) 2812
4 Shane Van Gisbergen (Holden) 2769
5 Chaz Mostert (Ford) 2748
 

 AAP