Even runner-up Jamie Whincup couldn't begrudge Scott Pye an emotional maiden Supercars race win on the Holden journeyman's 165th attempt.
The seven-time series champion admitted he "would have felt guilty" if he had pounced on a late error by Pye and snatched victory in race three of the Australian Grand Prix support event at Melbourne on Saturday.
Six years after his first Supercars race, Pye's long wait to stand on top of the podium appeared over with victory in sight with just over two of the race's 25 laps left.
Then disaster looked to have struck.