SUPER CRAIG’S SEVEN
Emotional Lowndes claims Bathurst in final race as lead driver
CRAIG Lowndes has achieved a fairytale Bathurst 1000 win on his last full-time drive at Mount Panorama, partnering with Steven Richards to achieve a stunning seventh triumph in the Great Race.
Lowndes capitalised on an unfortunately-timed cramp to race leader David Reynolds, which denied the pacey Erebus Motorsport team a huge chance to retain the Peter Brock trophy. The 44-yearold Lowndes overtook Reynolds for the lead with 27 laps remaining, cruising to victory ahead of fellow Commodore Scott Pye and Warren Luff.
With a boisterous crowd - totalling more than 206,000 across the weekend - chanting “Lowndesy, Lowndesy, Lowndesy”, their hero admitted his emotion. “It’s almost like the 06 back again I think,” he said, referring to his 2006 triumph which came just weeks after his mentor Peter Brock’s death.
IT was a fairytale full-time finish for Mount Panorama’s favourite son.
In his 25th and final race as a lead driver, Craig Lowndes cemented himself as the greatest Bathurst driver since Peter Brock by conquering the mountain in his last stand.
Lowndes yesterday outlasted generation next to win his seventh Bathurst 1000 crown, 22 years after his first victory.
In the process the 44-yearold Holden ace handed the Ford Falcon a final defeat in its last lap of the iconic course, before it is replaced by the Mustang.
“That is the greatest feeling,’’ Lowndes said. “It is a dream come true. You never know what is going to happen when you come here and we got it done.’’
Lowndes is set to retire from full-time racing at year’s end, but is expected back at Bathurst, likely as a co-driver with Jamie Whincup in the Holden Red Bull Racing team.
In a 1000km fling yesterday that featured crashes, chaos and crushed dreams, Lowndes, saw off a Dave Reynolds charge to join Jim Richards on seven race wins, two behind Brock.
For co-driver Steve Richards, 46, this was a fifth Bathurst title.
“It is almost like the 2006 win,’’ Lowndes said, referring to his emotional victory a month after Brock died and he was awarded the inaugural Peter Brock trophy.
‘The team did a hell of a job because we had troubles all week with steering. To stick it all together is amazing.’’
The Triple Eight Race Engineering stalwart stormed to victory after cramp hit Reynolds on lap 140.
“I am just shattered,’’ Reynolds said.
“I have never had anything like that, my body just gave up. I wasn’t mentally there and I just ended up being lost.’’
Lowndes cruised home to beat Scott Pye of Walkinshaw Andretti Racing, with Scott McLaughlin’s DJR/Team Penske Falcon third.
Lowndes revealed he had suffered a cool suit fail during the 1000km endurance battle.
“I didn’t have any air in my helmet or a cool suit,’’ Lowndes said. “I battled without them for about three stints so that was hard. But it is certainly all worth it.
“Richo and I came into this race with a lot of confidence on the back of Sandown.”
IT IS A DREAM COME TRUE. YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN WHEN YOU COME HERE AND WE GOT IT DONE CRAIG LOWNDES