Shop
In the mid-1990s, Lowndes was guided by Brock to second on his Bathurst 1000 debut.
That podium finish was the first step towards Lowndes going full-time with the factory Holden Racing Team for the 1996 Australian Touring Car Championship season.
In the twilight of his career, Lowndes is using the Supercheap Auto-backed wildcard as a means to guide the next generation of racers.
Broc Feeney was the first Supercheap Auto-backed wildcard driver in 2021 with Russell Ingall and graduated to a full-time seat a year later with Triple Eight.
Lowndes took the reins in 2022 and was joined by Declan Fraser who joined Tickford the following year.
Zane Goddard made wildcard cameos in 2023 and this year has focused on finishing his architecture studies.
Now, Cooper Murray is the next driver to receive tutelage from Lowndes ahead of an endurance campaign comprising the Sandown 500 and Bathurst 1000.
“For me, I got that opportunity in ‘94, ‘95 and then full-time in ‘96 through HRT to step up to that level. So, for me, it’s almost gone full circle with this program,” said Lowndes on the Speedcafe podcast The Hard Card with Authentic Collectables.
“With Supercheap Auto backing this wildcard program within Triple Eight it’s a great way for me to somewhat give back.
“Really, to have Declan and Zane and obviously Cooper this year – three young drivers with different attitudes and abilities – it’s been great to be able to work with all three of them so far to fine tune.
“My role really is not necessarily in the driver’s seat. Once they put a helmet on they’re as talented as anyone out there. It’s more behind the scenes.
“All this (media), going up to corporates, doing signing sessions, understanding the other side of the business which has really helped me along the way with my low times when I haven’t been able to perform or haven’t had the performance to do that side of it.
“When you’re winning, it’s easy. It’s trying to get that sustainability and keeping yourself within the sport.
“Declan has gone on an done some great things, Zane is finishing off his architecture schooling and everything else so hopefully we see him back on the circuit next year, and Cooper is a bright young kid.”
Despite the scorecard reading finished of 22nd and 25th, Murray was a standout in his Darwin debut.
The Super2 Series race winner qualified fifth initially for Sunday’s race and wound up 10th in the top 10 shootout.
Unfortunately, he was caught in the lap one melee and ended up with Brad Jones Racing’s Andre Heimgartner climbing over his car.
Nevertheless, Lowndes said there’s reason for optimism.
“Unfortunately the result at Darwin didn’t come the way he wanted it,” said Lowndes.
“You’ve got to look at the positives and hopefully the mentoring to him… we’ve all been through the lows and experiences and for him it’s great to see in his first time, in his first event, he was in the top 10, which a lot of drivers haven’t been in their whole career.
“He’s got to take a lot of positives out of that side of it. If you have a good Saturday and bad Sunday, you always go home disappointed. But if you have a bad Saturday and a good Sunday you go home on a high. They’re just a rollercoaster of what motor racing brings.”
WATCH THE FULL HARD CARD EPISODE WITH CRAIG LOWNDES AT THE TOP OF THIS STORY
