TRIPLE Eight has unveiled the updated look its #888 wildcard Camaro will run in the upcoming Supercars enduros.
Craig Lowndes and Zane Goddard will share the car – which is actually the Gen3 chassis raced by Shane van Gisbergen in the first six rounds of the year – at the Sandown 500 and Repco Bathurst 1000.
Before then, the duo has two more test days to come, today and tomorrow, at Queensland Raceway.
Triple Eight co-owner Jess Dane will take the reins as team manager, that duty having been carried out by Jamie Whincup in Darwin where Goddard was a solo entry. Whincup will be back behind the wheel in the enduros as Broc Feeney’s co-driver.
Wes McDougall meanwhile will return as race engineer, building on his and Goddard’s learnings from Hidden Valley.
“I think the car looks fantastic,” said Goddard.
“The darker details have really made the car look very tough, and I’m keen to see what it looks like out on track.
“Having the Sandown 500 as our next event is a great shakedown before the Great Race. Hopefully Craig and I can get into a good rhythm, get a good result there and then go to Bathurst with some wind in our sail.
“Sandown is a pretty tight racetrack with some big braking zones, so hopefully the racing will be good. Obviously it’s quite a long race, so we’ll just run our own thing until the later stages, but I’m looking forward to that feature of the race.
“Craig has been fantastic for my development, and I’m learning a lot from him. He’s a great guy to work with. He’s full of energy, full of fun, and I’m looking forward to going racing with him. That’s the important bit now and hopefully we go well.”
It’s a role which Lowndes too is relishing, the 49-year-old having recently signed a contract extension through 2025.
“I think what Supercheap Auto have done with the livery this year is fantastic,” he said. “It was always going to be hard to beat last year’s unique livery with all the faces on the car, but what they’ve done this year is made it bigger, bolder, and hopefully more super.
“Having the Sandown 500 as a warm-up event for the Bathurst 1000 is pretty normal for me.
“It’s really important for both Zane and I and the team to gel together and get through any of the niggling problems we want to get through before we get to Bathurst because that’s the race we want to win.
“Our upcoming test days are really important. I think the test days are invaluable and is a great chance to practice the fundamentals, especially driver changes and pit stop practices.
“We know that we’re going to be on our own at Sandown, but when we get to Bathurst, we’re going to have to share a boom (with Dick Johnson Racing’s wildcard), so getting all those fundamentals right is important for a great result.
“It’s been great mentoring Zane this year. I’ve known Zane for a little while now. He’s a bright, young talent and we’re looking forward to beating last year’s result (of eighth achieved by Lowndes and Declan Fraser at Bathurst).
This year’s October 5-8 visit to Mount Panorama will represent Lowndes’ 30th Great Race start.
“It makes me feel old knowing this year’s Bathurst will be my 30th start at the Great Race, but look, it’s really special,” he said.
“I think Bathurst has always been a race that I’ve always wanted to win, even from a young age. It really is a team effort, and for me, it’s important to make sure that we put a good foot forward in getting a good result.”
