Craig Lowndes
V8 Supercar Record
Nationality	Australian
Car #	888
Current team	TeamVodafone
Series Championships	3
Wins	29
Podium finishes
Pole positions
2006 Championship position	2
edit

Craig Lowndes was born in Melbourne, Victoria on June 21, 1974. Lowndes is an Australian racing driver, whose main claim to fame is as a three time V8 Supercar champion and three time Bathurst 1000 winner. This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... Triple Eight Race Engineering is one of the leading motorsport teams competing in the Australian V8 Supercars series. ... The City of Melbournes coat of arms The central business district of Melbourne, viewed from the north Alternate meanings: Melbourne (disambiguation) Melbourne is the capital and largest city of the state of Victoria, and the second largest city in Australia, with a population of 52,117 in the Central... is the 172nd day of the year (173rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1974 (MCMLXXIV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar) of the 1974 Gregorian calendar. ... V8 Supercars is a touring car racing category. ... The Bathurst 1000 (currently officially known as the Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000) is a 1,000-kilometre touring car race held annually at Mount Panorama Circuit in Bathurst, New South Wales, Australia. ...

Racing career

Born in Melbourne, Lowndes began his racing career at age 9, driving go-karts at a track in the nearby town of Whittlesea. A kart racer takes a turn on an indoor track Kart racing (as the word is so spelled by enthusiasts) or karting is a variant of open-wheeler motor sport with simple, small four-wheeled vehicles called karts, go-karts, or gearbox/shifter karts depending on the design. ... The City of Whittelsea is a Local Government Area in Victoria, Australia. ...

1991

He moved up to race cars in 1991, driving a Van Diemen in the Australian Formula Ford Championship. Despite the car being several years old and receiving minimal sponsorship, Lowndes shot to almost immediate success. Year 1991 (MCMXCI) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the 1991 Gregorian calendar). ... Van Diemen International, Ltd. ... Formula Ford is a single seater, open wheel class in motorsport which exists in some form in many countries around the world. ...

1993

Lowndes won the Formula Ford championship which qualified him for the Formula Ford Festival in England that same year, where he finished third.

1994

Lowndes moved up to Australia's top rank of open wheel racing being Formula Brabham in 1994. His success in Formula Brabham driving a Cheetah Mk9 was rewarded with the Australian Silver Star. Craig and Brad Jones paired up to compete in the 1994 Sandown 500 and, later that year, the gruelling Bathurst 1000 endurance race where he and Jones finished second. This led to an offer to drive for the Holden Racing Team at Sandown and Bathurst the following year. Open-wheel racing refers to a type of motor racing in which the wheels of the cars are not housed inside fenders, as in stock car or touring car racing, but rather out in the open at the end of readily-visible axles and suspension systems. ... Formula Holden is the top open wheel racing category in Australia. ... Year 1994 (MCMXCIV) The year 1994 was designated as the International Year of the Family and the International Year of the Sport and the Olympic Ideal by the United Nations. ... Cheetah Racing Cars were a prolific Australian manufacturer of race cars. ... Bradley Jones or Brad Jones (born 2 April 1960) is an Australian racing driver currently competing in V8 Supercars. ... The Sandown 500 is a 500 kilometre motor race for touring cars, conducted at the Sandown Raceway Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. ... The Bathurst 1000 (currently officially known as the Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000) is a 1,000-kilometre touring car race held annually at Mount Panorama Circuit in Bathurst, New South Wales, Australia. ... V8 Supercars in action V8 Supercar is the main motor racing series in Australia. ...

1996

His first full V8 Supercar season was in 1996 when, at his first attempt, he won the championship and also won both the Sandown and Bathurst races with team-mate Greg Murphy. Year 1996 (MCMXCVI) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display full 1996 Gregorian calendar). ... Greg Murphy (23 August 1972) is a New Zealand racing driver. ...

1997

To the surprise of some of his fans, Lowndes left Australia and went to Europe to further his open wheeler racing career, by competing with the RSM Marko Team in Formula 3000 as team-mate to Columbian Juan Pablo Montoya. He enjoyed limited success and failed to find the budget to compete a second year. Formula 3000 is a type of formula racing. ... Juan Pablo Montoya Roldán (born September 20, 1975 in Bogotá, Colombia) is a race car driver in NASCAR for Chip Ganassi Racing and a former Formula One driver. ...

1998

Lowndes returned to Australia and moved back down to V8 Supercars, where he exacted his dominance once more on the V8 Supercar championship, winning the title for Holden Racing Team in 1998 and 1999. In doing so, he became the first driver since Jim Richards (1990-1991) to win back-to-back championships. Year 1998 (MCMXCVIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1998 Gregorian calendar). ... This article is about the year. ... Jim Richards (born September 2, 1947) is a New Zealand and Australian racing driver. ...

2001

Lowndes caused a stir among race fans when he jumped ship from Holden to arch-rival manufacturer Ford, signing with a team headed up by former driver Fred Gibson. This partnership lasted for two years which ultimately proved unsuccessful due to reliability issues with the Ford Falcon race car. Despite the setbacks, Lowndes garnered an admiration from fans for his positive attitude and demeanour. This article is about the Australian car model. ...

2002

Gibson Motor Sport was renamed to 00 Motorsport (pronounced "double-zero", being Lowndes' racing number) after a change of management. Lowndes's black and silver Falcon was affectionately referred to as the "green-eyed monster" for the bright green covers over the headlights. 00 Motorsport folded at the end of the year and Lowndes signed with the factory-sponsored Ford Performance Racing team for the following year. Ford Performance Racing (FPR) is one of the premier motorsport teams contesting the V8 Supercar Championship Series. ...

2003

Lowndes won a round of the V8 Supercar championship at Philip Island and, with team-mate Glenn Seton, placed second at Bathurst. But the season was a relative disappointment for Lowndes as he was relatively inconsistent, mainly due to mechanical failures. Glenn Seton (born May 5, 1965) is an Australian racing driver. ...

2004

Technical problems, especially constant engine failures, plagued the team for the whole of the year. Lowndes and Seton teamed up again to repeat their second placing at the Bathurst 1000.

2005

Lowndes joined Team Betta Electrical and enjoyed his most successful season since switching to Ford. He had the most round victories and the most pole positions of any driver in the championship, and finished second in the final standings behind champion Russell Ingall. He suffered a luckless run at the Bathurst 1000 that year, where, despite qualifying on the pole, he spent much time in the pits after two separate incidents which severely damaged his Falcon. Russell Ingall (born February 24, 1964, in the United Kingdom) is an Australian V8 Supercar driver. ...

At the V8 Gala Awards, Lowndes was awarded the Barry Sheene Medal, an award akin to Most Valuable Player^{[citation needed]} which is voted on by a team of panellists from the Australian media, motorsport magazines, television commentators and former drivers. This award was first introduced in 2003, in honour of the late Barry Sheene. Marcos Ambrose won it in 2003 and 2004, winning the championship in both years. Hence this makes Lowndes the first non championship winner to take out the award. The Barry Sheene Medal is an award dedicated to the memory of British motorcycle rider and Australian V8 Supercar commentator Barry Sheene. ... In sports, a Most Valuable Player (MVP) award is an honor typically bestowed upon the best performing player or players on a specific team, in an entire league, or for a particular contest or series of contests. ... The tone or style of this article or section may not be appropriate for Wikipedia. ... Marcos Ambrose (born September 1, 1976 in Launceston, Tasmania) is an Australian racing driver. ...

2006 season

2006 was Lowndes' tenth season in V8 Supercars. He was a contender for the championship right up until the last race, being level on points with Rick Kelly. The two fought one of the closest non-staged finishes in Bathurst 1000 history on October 8, with Lowndes winning over Kelly by just half a second. It was his first Bathurst win since 1996 and Ford's first since 1998. The win was a very emotional one for Lowndes, being the first Bathurst 1000 held since the death of Peter Brock (killed while competing in the Targa West rally the month before). Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Rick Kelly (born on January 17, 1983 in Mildura, Victoria, Australia) is a V8 Supercar racing driver and the younger brother of V8 Supercar driver Todd Kelly, currently living in Melbourne, Victoria. ... is the 281st day of the year (282nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For other persons named Peter Brock, see Peter Brock (disambiguation). ... Targa West is a rally event held in the state of Western Australia. ...

As winners of the Bathurst 1000, the inaugural Peter Brock Trophy was presented to Lowndes and his team-mate, Jamie Whincup. The Peter Brock Trophy is the trophy awarded to the winners of the Bathurst 1000 V8 Supercars race. ... Jamie Whincup (born February 6, 1983 in Melbourne, Victoria) is a V8 Supercar driver for TeamVodafone/Triple Eight Race Engineering. ...

Lowndes eventually finished 2nd in the 2006 V8 Supercar season. After complaining of having been "unfairly" held up for up to six seconds a lap by Rick Kelly's team mates over the first two races, Lowndes was level on championship points with Kelly after race 2 (of 3) in the final round. A crash involving Kelly where light contact was made going into the hairpin resulted in Will Davison making contact with Lowndes, damaging his vehicle. Despite receiving a drive-through penalty, Kelly went on to finish the race in 18th position and seal the championship victory, while Lowndes finished the race 31st. Kelly was booed by Ford and Holden fans when he was on the podium to receive his trophy. The 2006 V8 Supercar season was the 11th running of the V8 Supercar Championship Series. ... Will Davison (born August 30, 1982 in Melbourne) is an Australian racing driver. ...

Lowndes and Triple Eight Racing lodged a protest and a hearing was set up. The protest was dismissed after a long hearing and Rick Kelly was confirmed as the 2006 champion. Lowndes and Triple Eight Racing decided not to appeal that decision and proclaim themselves the "Moral Champions" for the 2006 season.^{[citation needed]} Rick Kelly (born on January 17, 1983 in Mildura, Victoria, Australia) is a V8 Supercar racing driver and the younger brother of V8 Supercar driver Todd Kelly, currently living in Melbourne, Victoria. ...

Lowndes won the Barry Sheene Medal for the second year in a row.

2007 Season

Lowndes has had three victories this season, the sixth round at Hidden Valley Raceway, and both the endurance classics, the Sandown 500 and the Bathurst 1000. He is currently sitting in 3rd place in the championship after 2007 V8 Supercar Challenge. His team mate, Jamie Whincup, is leading the series. Hidden Valley Raceway is a motorsports complex situated 10km from Darwin, Northern Territory. ... The 2007 Sandown 500 is the ninth round of the 2007 V8 Supercar season. ... The 2007 Supercheap Bathurst 1000 is the tenth round of the 2007 V8 Supercar season. ... The 2007 V8 Supercar Challenge is the eleventh round of the 2007 V8 Supercar season. ... Jamie Whincup (born February 6, 1983 in Melbourne, Victoria) is a V8 Supercar driver for TeamVodafone/Triple Eight Race Engineering. ...

Racing career

The Australian Formula Ford Championship has been held annually since 1993, being contested each year over a series of races for racing cars complying with Australian Formula Ford regulations. ... Van Diemen International, Ltd. ... Reynard Motorsport was at one time the worlds largest racing car manufacturer. ... Formula Holden is the top open wheel racing category in Australia. ... Cheetah Racing Cars were a prolific Australian manufacturer of race cars. ... Formula Holden is the top open wheel racing category in Australia. ... Cheetah Racing Cars were a prolific Australian manufacturer of race cars. ... V8 Supercars is a touring car racing category. ... Holdens rule This article is about the Australian car manufacturer. ... The Holden VR Commodore of July 1993 came with an updated, sleeker and more modern design, as well as safety enhancements such as ABS brakes. ... V8 Supercars in action V8 Supercar is the main motor racing series in Australia. ... The 1997 Formula 3000 season was contested over ten rounds from May 11 to October 25, 1997. ... Formula 3000 is a type of formula racing. ... Lola Racing Cars (also Lola Cars International) is a racing car engineering company founded in 1961 by Eric Broadley and based in Huntingdon, England. ... The Holden VS commodore, released in 1995, was the next commodore model following the VR. Whilst externally identical to the VR, barring badging and oval side indicators in the series 2 (clear oval indicators series III Vs ute), the VS included the new ECOTEC, Emissions and Consumption Optimisation through TEChnology... The Holden VT Commodore, released in 1997, was the tenth model of the Holden Commodore, a large car built by Holden, the Australian subsidiary of General Motors. ... The 1999 Shell Championship Series was the first running of the V8 Supercar Championship Series. ... V8 Supercars is a touring car racing category. ... The 2001 V8 Supercar season was the 6th running of the V8 Supercar Championship Series. ... Ford may mean a number of things: A ford is a river crossing. ... The Ford Falcon AU is an Australian family sedan, replacing the older EL Falcon, which had a significantly different design. ... The 2003 V8 Supercar season was the 8th running of the V8 Supercar Championship Series. ... The Ford BA Falcon is a full-size sedan that can seat 5 people comfortably it was released to the public in September 2002, it was either the make or brake it car for Ford. ... Ford Performance Racing (FPR) is one of the premier motorsport teams contesting the V8 Supercar Championship Series. ... The 2004 V8 Supercar season was the 9th running of the V8 Supercar Championship Series. ... The 2005 V8 Supercar season was the 10th running of the V8 Supercar Championship Series. ... Triple Eight Race Engineering is one of the leading motorsport teams competing in the Australian V8 Supercars series. ... The 2006 V8 Supercar season was the 11th running of the V8 Supercar Championship Series. ... The 2007 V8 Supercar season is the 12th V8 Supercar Championship Series. ... The Ford BF Falcon is a full-size car manufactured by the Ford Motor Company in Victoria, Australia. ... Triple Eight Race Engineering is one of the leading motorsport teams competing in the Australian V8 Supercars series. ...

Personal life

Lowndes is married to Natalie and they have two children: a son, Levi, and a daughter, Chilli. They live on a rural property near Kilcoy, Queensland.
Kilcoy is a small farming town (pop. ... Slogan or Nickname: Sunshine State, Smart State Motto(s): Audax at Fidelis (Bold but Faithful) Other Australian states and territories Capital Brisbane Government Constitutional monarchy Governor Quentin Bryce Premier Anna Bligh (ALP) Federal representation  - House seats 28  - Senate seats 12 Gross State Product (2004-05)  - Product ($m)  $158,506 (3rd...

This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... V8 Supercars in action V8 Supercar is the main motor racing series in Australia. ... Glenn Seton (born May 5, 1965) is an Australian racing driver. ... Larry Perkins (born March 18, 1950) is a former racing driver and current V8 Supercar team owner from Australia. ... Russell Ingall (born February 24, 1964, in the United Kingdom) is an Australian V8 Supercar driver. ... The Bathurst 1000 (currently officially known as the Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000) is a 1,000-kilometre touring car race held annually at Mount Panorama Circuit in Bathurst, New South Wales, Australia. ... The 1996 AMP Bathurst 1000 was the 37th running of the Bathurst 1000 touring car race. ... Greg Murphy (23 August 1972) is a New Zealand racing driver. ... Geoff Brabham (born March 20, 1952) is an Australian racing driver. ... David Brabham (born 5 September 1965 in Wimbledon, London, England) is an Australian Formula One driver who raced for the Brabham and Simtek teams. ... Glenn Seton (born May 5, 1965) is an Australian racing driver. ... V8 Supercars in action V8 Supercar is the main motor racing series in Australia. ... The 1999 Shell Championship Series was the first running of the V8 Supercar Championship Series. ... Date of Birth: 3 April 1967 Birth Place: Gosford, New South Wales Resides: Melbourne, Victoria Nickname: Skaifey Height: 180cm Weight: 75kg Interests: Watersports, Skiing. ... Date of Birth: 3 April 1967 Birth Place: Gosford, New South Wales Resides: Melbourne, Victoria Nickname: Skaifey Height: 180cm Weight: 75kg Interests: Watersports, Skiing. ... Todd Kelly (born on October 9, 1979 in Mildura, Victoria, Australia) is a V8 Supercar racing driver, currently living in Melbourne, Victoria. ... The Bathurst 1000 (currently officially known as the Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000) is a 1,000-kilometre touring car race held annually at Mount Panorama Circuit in Bathurst, New South Wales, Australia. ... The 2006 Super Cheap Auto Bathurst 1000 was the tenth running of the Australia 1000 race, first held after the organisational split over the Bathurst 1000 that occurred in 1997. ... The 2007 Supercheap Bathurst 1000 is the tenth round of the 2007 V8 Supercar season. ... Jamie Whincup (born February 6, 1983 in Melbourne, Victoria) is a V8 Supercar driver for TeamVodafone/Triple Eight Race Engineering. ... V8 Supercars is a touring car racing category. ... Toll HSV Dealer Team is a V8 Supercar racing team. ... V8 Supercars in action V8 Supercar is the main motor racing series in Australia. ... Not to be confused with Tasman Motorsports, a former CART team. ... 2005 V8SCS Champion Russell Ingall with his #1 Caltex Falcon Former SBR pilot and dual V8SCS Champion Marcos Ambrose in his SBR Falcon at Indy 2005 Stone Brothers Racing (SBR) is one of the premier motorsport teams competing in the Australian V8 Supercar series, formed in 1998 by experienced New... Ford Performance Racing (FPR) is one of the premier motorsport teams contesting the V8 Supercar Championship Series. ... Jack Daniels Racing is a V8 Supercar racing team. ... Rick Kelly (born on January 17, 1983 in Mildura, Victoria, Australia) is a V8 Supercar racing driver and the younger brother of V8 Supercar driver Todd Kelly, currently living in Melbourne, Victoria. ... Garth Tander is an Australian V8 Supercar driver. ... Date of Birth: 3 April 1967 Birth Place: Gosford, New South Wales Resides: Melbourne, Victoria Nickname: Skaifey Height: 180cm Weight: 75kg Interests: Watersports, Skiing. ... Todd Kelly (born on October 9, 1979 in Mildura, Victoria, Australia) is a V8 Supercar racing driver, currently living in Melbourne, Victoria. ... Jason Richards (born April 10, 1976 in Nelson, New Zealand) is a V8 Supercar racecar driver. ... Greg Murphy (23 August 1972) is a New Zealand racing driver. ... James Courtney (born 29 June 1980) is an Australian racing driver who will drive in the V8 Supercar series in 2006 for Stone Brothers Racing, replacing Marcos Ambrose. ... Russell Ingall (born February 24, 1964, in the United Kingdom) is an Australian V8 Supercar driver. ... Mark Frosty Winterbottom was born on May 20, 1981 in Sydney, Australia. ... Steven Richards (born 11 July 1972, son of Jim Richards) is an Australian racing driver. ... Shane Price, born 26 December 1986 in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. ... Marcus Marshall (born November 25, 1977) is a former Champ Car driver from Australia. ... WPS Racing is a motorsport team currently participating in the V8 Supercars competition in Australia sponsored by Wright Patton Shakespeare, a financial management company. ... Brad Jones Racing (BJR) is based in Albury NSW and is managed by Brad Jones brother Kim Jones. ... Dick Johnson Racing (or DJR) is Australias oldest touring car team. ... Supercheap Auto Racing is a V8 Supercar racing team. ... Team Kiwi Racing is a V8 Supercar racing team that competes in the V8 Supercar series in Australia. ... Britek Motorsport is one of the motorsport teams contesting the V8 Supercar Championship. ... Max Wilson was born on August 22, 1972 in Hamburg, Germany. ... Jason Bargwanna is a race car driver born in Sydney, Australia on 26 April 1972. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Simon Wills (born 3 October 1976 in Auckland, New Zealand) is a racing driver in New Zealand and Australia. ... Steven Johnson (born 2 September 1974) is an Australian V8 Supercar racing driver. ... Will Davison (born August 30, 1982 in Melbourne) is an Australian racing driver. ... Paul Dumbrell (born 1st September 1982), is an Australian V8 Supercar driver. ... Cameron McConville signing autographs at the 2006 Australian Grand Prix at Albert Park in Melbourne, Australia. ... Shane Van Gisbergen born May 9, 1989, is a racecar driver from Auckland, New Zealand. ... Jason Brighty Bright is a racing driver from Australia. ... Alan Gurr (3rd April 1982) is the team mate of Jason Bright at Britek Motorsport. ... Garry Rogers Motorsport is a V8 Supercar racing team. ... Team Sirromet Wines is a V8 Supercar racing team. ... Autobarn Racing is a V8 Supercar racing team. ... Triple Eight Race Engineering is one of the leading motorsport teams competing in the Australian V8 Supercars series. ... Paul Cruickshank Racing is a V8 Supercar racing team that competes in the V8 Supercar series in Australia. ... // Lee Holdsworth was born in Melbourne, Victoria on February 2nd 1983. ... Dean Canto (born September 24, 1980, in the Sydney) is an Australian V8 Supercar driver. ... Owen Kelly, born 12 March 1977, in Tasmania, Australia. ... Category: ... Steve Owen, born December 18, 1974, is an Australian race driver. ... Jamie Whincup (born February 6, 1983 in Melbourne, Victoria) is a V8 Supercar driver for TeamVodafone/Triple Eight Race Engineering. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ...

External links

• Craig Lowndes Official Web Site
• Craig Lowndes Story (1999)
• Craig Lowndes 888 Report Card (Fan Blog Site)

This article does not cite any references or sources. (January 2007) Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unverifiable material may be challenged and removed.