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Lee Holdsworth is competing in his 200th Supercars Round at Gold Coast 600

Lee Holdsworth is about to compete in the 200th round of a Supercars career that he believes is on the verge of going in a 16th year.

LEE Holdsworth is about to compete in the 200th round of a Supercars career that he believes is on the verge of going in a 16th year.

The 36-year-old is in talks with Tickford Racing to extend his contract with the team beyond 2019 as he prepares to reach the milestone at the Gold Coast 600.

“At the moment I don’t have a deal for next year but I feel like it’s all heading in the right direction,” Holdsworth said.

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“I certainly don’t want to be anywhere else at the moment. I’m very happy where I am and I feel like they are happy with the job I’m doing.

“Everyone can see that it is continuing to get stronger, the relationship with my engineer is getting better and our understanding of each other grows each round and that is being reflected in our results and speed. Hopefully I can continue to build on that into 2020.

Lee Holdsworth. Vodafone Gold Coast 600 Event 13 of the Virgin Australia Supercars Championship, Gold Coast, Queensland. Australia 25th-27th Oct 2019. Picture credit: Mark Horsburgh, Supercars
Lee Holdsworth. Vodafone Gold Coast 600 Event 13 of the Virgin Australia Supercars Championship, Gold Coast, Queensland. Australia 25th-27th Oct 2019. Picture credit: Mark Horsburgh, Supercars

“We have touched on (a deal) and we are in that process at the moment of talking about where we are at with it.

“Everything looks positive so we will see what happens but hopefully it will play out the way I’d like.”

Holdsworth, who currently holds 10th in the Championship, made his Supercars debut in 2004 at Sandown and secured a full-time seat in 2006 with Garry Rogers Motorsport.

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The Melbourne-based driver has since gone on to win three races and record 16 top three finishes in the Championship.

Holdsworth said he was proud to have enjoyed such longevity in the cutthroat sport of racing and while many athletes only reflect at the end of their career, the significance of it wasn’t lost on the driver.

“Two-hundred rounds is a massive milestone,” Holdsworth said.

“I never would have dreamt I would have done this many races in Supercars.

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“It’s pretty special to achieve that. It’s not something you keep a tally on but when you look back and you go 200 rounds, which is over 400 races, that is just incredible.

“It makes me proud of how long I have been able to stay in the sport, what I have achieved and how I have conducted myself in the sport in that time.”

Holdsworth said he felt like he was driving better than ever and expected to be racing for years to come.

“I certainly don’t feel too old for it,” Holdsworth said.

“I’m only 36 and there have been plenty of guys who have drive until they are 42 or older. “The moment I feel like I have lost the touch will be the day I’m happy to sit on the sidelines.

“For now I feel like I’m driving better than ever and I keep on improving year-on-year.

“The mental game is a lot stronger now than it has ever been.

“I have been through a lot in the past six or seven years and it’s been very tough but now that I’m back with a very competitive team, it has given me another lease on life and my racing career and given me the motivation and commitment that is required to get results.”

Original URL: https://www.goldcoastbulletin.com.au/sport/gold-coast-600/lee-holdsworth-is-competing-in-his-200th-supercars-round-at-gold-coast-600/news-story/05ff94e8a4ecf2c5d071bd10d28af54f