MOUNTAIN MAN
Retiring Super Cars legend Craig Lowndes enjoys one last Bathurst ‘bubbly bath’
IT was the 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.
He outlasted generation next to win his seventh Bathurst 1000 crown, 22 years since his first victory.
In the process the 44-yearold extended his V8 legend as he handed the Ford Falcon a final defeat in its last lap of the iconic course, before it is replaced on the starting grid 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.’’
Set to retire from full-time racing at the end of the year, Lowndes started a Mount Panorama party when he floored his way across the finish line to seal a famous win.
In a 1000km fling that featured crashes, chaos and crushed dreams, Lowndes saw off a Dave Reynolds charge to join Jim Richards on seven race wins, just two behind the legendary Brock.
Lowndes cried tears of joy as he celebrated with codriver Steve Richards, who won his fifth Bathurst title.
The Triple Eight Race Engineering stalwart stormed to victory after Reynolds was struck down by cramp.
In a heartbreaking finish for the Erebus Motorsport driver, Reynolds was denied his chance of winning Bathurst back-to-back when his body failed 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 will continue to race at Bathurst as a co-driver from next year in a move that will give him a shot at equalling Brock.
The now seven-time winner is expected to join Jamie Whincup at the Holden Red Bull Racing team next year in a Holden dream team.
McLaughlin was the first finishing Ford, with the Falcon farewelled from Bathurst after 51 years with a podium.