Holden hero Craig Lowndes has revealed his plans for his racing future as he saddles up for another Bathurst 1000 drive
He turned 46 this year and is the veteran of the Bathurst 1000 grid. As he continues his bid for V8 immortality, Craig Lowndes reveals how much longer he wants to keep racing. Plus meet the teens who are the future of the sport.
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Craig Lowndes could be racing until he’s pushing 50 with the Bathurst legend set to wage a war against father time as he continues his bid for V8 immortality at Mount Panorama this weekend.
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The evergreen Holden champion has dismissed any thought of retirement, declaring he wants to keep racing as a co-driver beyond next year.
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After turning 46 in June, Lowndes is the veteran of the Bathurst 1000 grid but does not have the finish line in his sights just yet.
Vowing to help deliver Holden a fairytale farewell alongside Jamie Whincup, Lowndes can move a step closer to the late great Peter Brock’s record of nine Bathurst crowns with another 1000km triumph.
Lowndes has seven Bathurst victories – equal-second behind Brock for the most wins in the Great Race alongside Jim Richards.
Contracted with Triple Eight as a co-driver again for next year, Lowndes said he hoped he could keep racing for a “couple more” years beyond then.
“At the moment I’ve got a contract for this year and next year. It really comes down to the passion that burns inside you,” Lowndes said.
“Obviously (team boss) Roland (Dane) will look at the performance and the speed.
“I don’t know if there is an actual number in the sense of age that you can put on it. It really just comes down to my desire, being fit, being healthy and continuing to have the speed that is required to be in that seat.
“For me, I would love this year, next year and maybe a couple more.
“But once we get into next year that is really going to be determined by what Roland’s vision looks like … but I would hope we can go beyond next year.”
Lowndes’ bid for immortality got off to a smoky start with a practice fire ending his first stint in the car after a power steering issue on the opening day of practice at Mount Panorama.
“I started smelling some oil while I was coming down Conrod Straight but I couldn’t see any smoke,” Lowndes said.
“I didn’t realise it was us until I got a call to come in. I was on fire (when it came in) and I got out pretty quickly because I didn’t want to breathe the extinguisher gas.”
But the day-one mishap is not expected to cruel Lowndes’ chances of drawing another win closer to Brock.
The Red Bull Holden Racing Team veteran said he was not focused on Brock’s record, but was confident of vying for another win with Whincup, who he claimed a famous Bathurst three-peat with from 2006-08.
“I am just striving for another victory, if we do our job right this weekend we are going to put ourselves in with a good showing for that,” said Lowndes, also juggling commitments for Fox Sports this weekend.
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“I said right at the beginning that I didn’t think that anyone would break the nine victories because of how special it is and how hard it is to win this race.
“But if we could rewrite history, if we could win it this year, we could come back next year and try and equal it. But at the moment I’m not really focused on that, I’m just focused on doing my part for Jamie.”
Lowndes retired as a full-time Supercars driver at the end of the end of 2018 – the year he won his last Bathurst crown alongside Steven Richards.
He finished fourth in 2019 after being reunited with Whincup 10 years after their last race together.
The pair will be spurred on by this weekend’s official farewell for the factory Holden team at Mount Panorama.
“It’s going to be an emotional weekend,” Lowndes said.
“Our best plan is to be on the top step at the end of Sunday and to say thank you and send them off in a positive way.”
THESE KIDS HAVE GOT NEXT
—James Phelps
Craig Lowndes had won three crowns before they were born – but going up against the Mount Panorama king holds no fears for Bathurst’s youngest pairing.
Tyler Everingham and Jayden Ojeda will get their very own shot at joining Lowndes as a Bathurst immortal after scoring a wildcard entry to race against their hero at Mount Panorama this weekend.
Both 21 and set to make their V8 debuts on Australia’s most feared racetrack, the all-western Sydney pairing begun their dream Bathurst bid with a day of practice at Mount Panorama.
With Garry Rogers Motorsport catapulting them both into the 1000km war by way of a wildcard, Penrith’s very own Ojeda has only had a week to prepare for the biggest moment of his life.
Ojeda was a last-minute starter after a late scratching gifted him his seat.
“It’s a surreal to know I’m going to be racing the biggest race,” he said.
“Bathurst is two hours from home so it definitely has been something I have always gone to.
“As a kid, you grew up knowing it’s in your backyard and most of the iconic moments in Supercars have happened there.”
Everingham had longer to prepare but only had his entry confirmed when Ojeda got the green light for the co-drive last week.
“It’s a once-in-a-lifetime thing so to finally have a direction and know that we are definitely going to be on the grid is pretty big and I’m excited for it,’’ Everingham said.
“It’s a really cool opportunity for both of us. I’m really grateful and can’t thank the crew at Garry Rogers Motorsport enough and my family and my sponsors that have gotten me there.”
Everingham powered his way through the first practice session without incident and will strap back down for qualifying on Friday.
Originally published as Holden hero Craig Lowndes has revealed his plans for his racing future as he saddles up for another Bathurst 1000 drive