First to the century: Darwin hosts Lowndes milestone

In over 60 years of ATCC/Supercars Championship competition, only two drivers have claimed 100 or more race wins.

The next venue of the 2021 Repco Supercars Championship, Darwin’s Hidden Valley Raceway, can lay claim to hosting the first to the century.

Craig Lowndes’s 2015 campaign was one of his best, even at the ripe old age of 41.

He won six races, including the Bathurst 1000, en route to second behind eventual champion Mark Winterbottom.

WATCH: LOWNDESY'S JOURNEY TO 100 WINS

Lowndes loomed to win his 100th race at Symmons Plains, only for a moment of madness to cost him dearly at the start.

He went eight races without victory, but on the day before his 41st birthday, Lowndes struck gold in the second race of the weekend.

Starting fifth for the 21-lap sprint, Lowndes exited Turn 1 in the lead after front-row starters Rick Kelly and Fabian Coulthard came together.

Pole man Kelly had been out-dragged by Coulthard, only for Kelly to tap them both to the rear of the field.

Later in the lap, Andre Heimgartner, Will Davison, Jamie Whincup and Nick Percat came together, triggering a Safety Car.

At the restart, Lowndes was assured and pulled away from Tim Slade, with Chaz Mostert finishing third.

In a wild slice of symbolic coincidence, Lowndes’s win came in the 888th ATCC/Supercars race.

Such was the magnitude of the milestone, that his rivals applauded him as he cycled down pit lane to the podium area.

"It’s quite incredible; we’ve been close in the last couple of rounds," he said after the race.

"This one is obviously something really special for me.

"Thankfully Sladey let me get a gap and I could just manage the car.

"It is a credit to the guys. It’s been a fantastic career, it’s been amazing to work with these guys for such a long time.

"We had a bad run in Race 1 and I didn’t think it would happen but all the stars aligned.

"It was 888th for V8 Supercars our car is 888, its an amazing feeling.”

Long-time teammate Jamie Whincup would have to wait until the following season at Sydney Motorsport Park to clinch his 100th victory.

He has added a further 23 since, his latest coming at Symmons Plains in April.

Lowndes is stranded on 110, with Mark Skaife (90) ahead of Garth Tander and Scott McLaughlin (56).

Current championship leader Shane van Gisbergen (46) is two adrift of Peter Brock, and can draw level with Brock at next month’s Merlin Darwin Triple Crown.

The Repco Supercars Championship field will return to the Northern Territory for the Merlin Darwin Triple Crown across June 18-20. Tickets are available here.