Craig Lowndes doesn’t stop smiling. The V8 Supercar veteran is grinning from ear to ear, regardless of the situation. The next couple of weeks will test that trademark levity, however.
Lowndes sits 188 points behind team mate Jamie Whincup with 300 points on offer at the season ending Telstra 500 in Sydney.
If there is one round you watch this year, make it this one. It’s a street circuit, which means tight corners and massive concrete walls. Carnage. Jill Singer would hate it.
Lowndes is so close to a fourth V8 Championship, and after 11 long years without success, he’ll do pretty much anything to get it.
Take Sandown for example. Saturday’s race at the Victorian track was more suited to flippers and goggles than Holdens and Fords. It was so wet no one could see anything, and yet the whole lot of them were traveling well in excess of 250km/h. Lowndes started from 27th – his career equal worst qualifying effort. Whincup, meanwhile, was sitting pretty on the front row, with one hand on the silverware.
39 laps of chaos and destruction later, Lowndes was sixth, and Whincup 13th.
If Whincup had won, and Lowndes failed to finish, the 37-year-old knew that yet another of the handful of chances he has left was over.
It didn’t matter. Lowndes dodged, ducked and dived his way through the field and came out on top, 21 places ahead of his grid spot and seven up on his teammate. You don’t see that in Formula One.
Whincup hit back with a win on Sunday, and set up a perfect finale in Sydney.
Last year was the second running of the event, and it too proved a title clincher.
All the contenders, including Whincup, crashed on Saturday. James Courtney was the only one able to patch his car back together, and limp home 15th. That effort by his team ultimately won him the championship.
Meanwhile, rookie Jonathan Webb came from 21st on the grid to win – the lowest winning grid position in championship history.
Sunday’s race didn’t disappoint, either. Kiwi Shane Van Gisbergen led until running out of fuel with half a lap left, handing the victory to Lee Holdsworth – his first since 2007.
If you can tell me of a race weekend with as much drama, suspense, and excitement, I’d like it on DVD for Christmas, please.
With the championship once again poised to be decided on the unforgiving streets of Homebush, make sure you get out there.
Whincup might be the unbackable favourite, but the V8 season has some twists left in the tail yet. And if the racing doesn’t take your fancy, you can always catch John Farnham performing – it’s his fourth last farewell tour, so don’t miss it.
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