7 Oct 2018

Lowndes claims seventh Bathurst 1000

8:07 pm on 7 October 2018

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.

Craig Lowndes

Craig Lowndes Photo: Actionplus

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-year-old Lowndes overtook Reynolds for the lead with 27 laps remaining, cruising to victory ahead of fellow Commodore Scott Pye and Warren Luff.

DJR Team Penske pair of Scott McLaughlin and Alex Premat were third.

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.

"I didn't have any air in the coolsuit for the last three stints.

"Richo and I came into this weekend with a lot of confidence off the back of Sandown. But you never know.

"We didn't have the speed at the start of the race but we were hoping it would develop and the track would could to us. And it did."

The success ties Lowndes with Jim Richards, the father of his co-driver Steven, on seven wins, and leaves him behind only Brock, the King of the Mountain, with nine.

Steven Richards became a five-time winner at the age of 46.

After qualifying ninth, the planets aligned for car No.888 on race day.

Favourites Jamie Whincup and Paul Dumbrell were brought down to earth early, losing a wheel down the main straight.

James Courtney and Jack Perkins were forced into an early retirement with an oil issue, while Cam Waters' co-driver David Russell suffered a shunt from teammate Chaz Mostert to send him down the order.

And Lowndes and Richards steadily went to work.

The Red Bull Holden Racing Team Commodore brought serious speed to the 1000km classic and moved through the field.

A safety car exit on lap 97 effectively reset the contest as a 64-lap, two-stop race for main game drivers, with only Reynolds in front of Lowndes.

Reynolds' pace looked too much for the veteran as he steadily increased the gap at the front of the race.

But then heartbreak came for the sport's larrikin, struck down with cramp with a little over an hour of racing to go.

Co-driver Luke Youlden, who thought his day was over and had already enjoyed a massage, re-dressed as the Erebus team pondered a late driver change.

Reynolds opted to continue but he spun his Commodore's wheels in pit lane, bringing a drive-through penalty.

Their dream was over and the title once again belonged to Lowndes and Richards - winners with a combined age of 90.

"We've had an unbelievable weekend but to finish like that is incredible," Richards said.

"We've got a few years under our belt.

"There's no better place in the world to win a race than here at Bathurst."

-AAP