Craig Lowndes says it would be fitting to win this year’s Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000 as the event marks 10 years since the death of his mentor Peter Brock.
The Triple Eight driver famously won the emotionally charged 2006 edition of the Great Race held just weeks following the loss of the nine-time Bathurst winner.
Ten years on the mountain is set to remember Brock with a series of tributes including a special parade of vehicles from his glittering career, which will be driven by all the previous winners of the Peter Brock Trophy.
Prior to the race, Lowndes will reunite with Brock’s 1972 Bathurst winning Holden Torana XU-1 he drove prior to the start of the 2006 Great Race in Sunday’s parade.
The 42-year-old heads to Mount Panorama alongside Steven Richards as the reigning Bathurst 1000 winners with eyes firmly fixed on securing a seventh Bathurst crown, placing him two behind touring car legend Brock.
“It would be fitting if we can do it (on the 10th anniversary of Brock’s death),” Lowndes told Speedcafe.com.
“However, when you look up and down pitlane and the combination of drivers on display it will be tough, but 161 laps around here will be special.
“I have won this race in 1996 and 2006 so it would be good to win it every 10 years.
“I feel great and you can tell by the hype that the place is coming alive.
“It is no different coming in as defending winners.
“We will do what we normally do and just focus on making the car fast and if we can do that then we will have a good shot.
“If we can get the car set up fast then that is exactly what we need and we will try and do that like we did last year.
“Obviously the three (Triple Eight) cars will be working very closely together to make sure we get Sunday right.
“Once we get into Sunday the nerves will no doubt start to build.”
Lowndes fully expects to be faced with a tough afternoon on Sunday with the six-time winner predicting that Prodrive will pose Triple Eight a significant threat.
“There are cars that weren’t on the podium at Sandown like Prodrive that will be strong here,” he added.
“Prodrive had a terrible Sandown and will regroup here.
“The Volvos will no doubt be quick while the Nissans will be fast across the mountain. It will be a tough race.”
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