Amid the carnage and chaos of two restarts and five cars lost on the grid, the cool head of defending Champion Jamie Whincup won through in the opening race of the Armor All Gold Coast 600 at Surfers Paradise today.

Three cars crashed out after a spectacular crash at the start of the 300km race, that was reduced to 79 laps after two further cars crashed on the restart.

Given an excellent start from four-time IndyCar champion Sebastien Bourdais, Whincup showed all his class, withstanding a late safety car period to claim his 60th race win and 11th straight victory for the Team Vodafone Holden crew.

"Everyone was massively on their toes with all the carnage and the shortening of the race to a one-stopper," Whincup said.

His handy lead evaporated with a late safety car but he held off the challenges to win from Jonathan Webb (Tekno Autosports) and Mark Winterbottom (Orrcon Steel Ford).

"I wasn't pushing hard and I knew the safety car was coming from somewhere. We were under control."

There was heartbreak for the Fujitsu Racing Holden team with both cars out before leaving the starting grid.

Canadian James Hinchcliffe stalled Michael Caruso's Fujitsu car on the grid, and was hit by Thomas Liuzzi (Tony D'Alberto) in the Team Hiflex Ford and in turn he was hit hard from behind by the Irwin Racing Ford of Lee Holdsworth driven by Frenchman Simon Pagenaud. From the back of the grid American Ricky Taylor was already at 150kph in the second Fujitsu Racing car (Greg Ritter) when it clipped Pagenaud and rolled spectacularly on pit straight.

From the restart it was the turn of Frenchman Nicolas Mionassian in the Lockwood Racing Holden (Fabian Coulthard) who stalled and was clipped from behind by compatriot Franck Montagny in the Fair Dinkum sheds Ford (Karl Reindler).

After four minutes delay the race finally got away safely on the second restart, but 16 laps in Formula One veteran Gianni Morbedelli, partnering Dean Fiore in the Jim Beam Racing Ford, hit the wall to bring out the first safety car.

But Whincup believes no changes are needed to the current tactic of starting with the international driver.

"I've been saying for a while that these cars are hard to get off the line. Now that they had some practice with them today I am sure it will be better tomorrow."

Championship contender Winterbottom agreed with his rival.

"I think it was one of those things that happens. The cars are difficult to get off the line."

Bourdais pitted early as he trailed the Trading Post Ford of Finnish Formula One driver Mika Salo, as the pair traded blows for the first part of the race. However Salo could not take advantage with Whincup emerging from the driver change with a clear advantage before Will Davison crashed into the tyre wall on his outlap.

Webb, partnered by German Marcus Lieb who was the fastest of the international drivers in practice, pushed through the field, while Winterbottom went from 10th to third with a charging late drive.

The chaotic start line scenes raised questions over teams' decisions to start with their international co-drivers at this event rather than the regular V8 drivers.

Taylor, the 23-year-old son of American sports car legend Wayne, was attempting a standing start for the first time in his motorsport career.

But he said despite being flipped upside down there was nothing wrong with the inexperienced overseas drivers starting the race.

"I think static starts are exciting," Taylor said.

"I thought it was great fun ... for the fans it's a good show, so I don't see why not."

Hinchcliffe admitted he had probably been a bit too ambitious in just his second attempt at starting a V8 Supercar.

"There's definitely more grip at this track than there was at Queensland Raceway where we did the test and that's the only practice start I've done and so maybe I got a bit greedy," he said.

Montagny, also a first-time V8 driver, said experience may also have played a role in his accident on the second restart.

"First time in these cars, not much experience," the American Le Mans driver told the Seven Network.

Frenchman Pagenaud agreed.

"I'm OK, just really annoyed to see how much damage there is on the car. Unfortunately doing standing starts with guys that are not used to it is creating issues every year. It's a shame but starting where we did we got into trouble," he said.

"I had no room to go - that's the way it is - that's racing. It's a shame for the IRWIN crew and Lee as well, so I'm sorry about that, but there is nothing else I could have done."

As for whether Taylor will line up at the start of Sunday's race if the Garry Rogers Motorsport car can be fixed overnight, no worries.

"I'd love to (start) but the car's not looking too good right now," he said

Tomorrow's second race is expected to be a cracker with qualifying in the morning ahead of the scheduled 300km race in the afternoon.