Lowndes’ son Levi jumped into the passenger seat at the end of a ride day at the Melbourne venue, which marked the legend’s last on-track commitment with the team.
Lowndes, 51, is departing Triple Eight following a 21-year stretch, shifting to Team 18 with the Supercheap Auto-backed wildcard program.
While his final race for the squad came under the spotlight of the Bathurst 1000 last month, the Sandown ride day proved a more intimate farewell.
Lowndes’ duties ended with a series of rides for family and friends, which culminated in the lap with 22-year-old Levi.
“It was a surprise,” Lowndes told Speedcafe of the chance to take his son for a spin.
“It’s the first time he’d been in the car with me and the last time I’ll be with Triple Eight, so it felt like a fitting end.”
Triple Eight crew members formed a guard of honour for Lowndes in the pit box but had to wait a little longer than expected as he snuck in one more lap.
“I didn’t really want to come in, I was having a bit of fun,” he said.
“I’d been worried about the weather, just hoping I’d get through the rides without any rain. Thankfully it only sprinkled a little bit.
“It’s a great team and in a lot of ways it’s sad to say goodbye. There’s a lot of friends and a lot of memories in this team.
“They’ll go on to do bigger and better things next year obviously but for us it’s a new chapter.”
Team manager Mark Dutton credited Triple Eight commercial director Tom Wilson with orchestrating the guard of honour and noted it a sad moment for the team.
“It’s a reality now, no more CL driving a Triple Eight car,” Dutton told Speedcafe.
“It’s pretty sad but obviously it’s been a good run. It was awesome to be able to give him the opportunity to have the last few rides for his own guests.”
Lowndes’ decision to depart Triple Eight came amid the fallout of the team’s decision to switch to Ford in 2026, with the seven-time Bathurst winner opting to stick with GM.
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