Lowndes Backs Pye, Offers His Support and Advice

Embattled rookie Scott Pye has a fan in Craig Lowndes and could be hearing from him soon.

Lowndes, who debuted in V8 racing back in 1994 as a 20-year old, sees similarities in a number of ways between himself and 23-year old Pye, who has had a challenging debut season in the V8 Supercars Championship driving for Lucas Dumbrell Motorsport.

“I have been thinking about Scotty and how he came into the sport and where he is at right now. I do feel sympathy for him,” Lowndes told v8supercars.com.au.

“Hopefully in the near future I’d like to be able to sit down and at least share some of my experiences so he doesn’t feel he is on his own and he’s not the pioneer of what he’s going through.”

Lowndes remembers vividly the criticisms fired at him by the established old guard of drivers when he came into the category as surprise inclusion in the Holden Racing Team enduro lineup, then as a full-time driver in 1996.

“I was at the start of the younger generation coming through, so you are always going to cop that especially from the established guys. But you have to cop that and move on.”

But Lowndes also connects with Pye because both tried to make a career in Europe before focussing on V8 Supercars and both have had high profile management early in their careers – Lowndes by then-HRT boss John Crennan, and Pye by Triple Eight Race Engineering’s Roland Dane.

“I say it’s very similar because when I went to Europe I thought I had a two year program, but it turned out to be 12 months. It was ‘you didn’t succeed, thank you very much go home’ – and I just hope that doesn’t become Scotty after the end of this year.”

The only thing Lowndes is unsure about is whether Pye made the move up from the Dunlop development series one year too soon. Driving for Triple Eight, he broke through for his first win in the final round and finished runner-up to Scott McLaughlin.

“I think he is a great talent, I think he deserves to be in the sport,” Lowndes said. “My belief, same circumstances, is I would like to have seen Scotty do another year in development series, win it, and use that as a springboard into the main game. He did get an opportunity earlier than I thought he would but he has got great potential.”

Pye has been involved in a number of big hits this year, firstly when his brakes failed during Race Five at the Tasmania Microsoft Office 365. Then he tangled with Rick Kelly and Garth Tander and spun wildly off the circuit during the 60/60 Super Sprint at the Chill Perth 360.

Most recently he received a 25 point penalty after a first corner altercation with Alex Premat and Russell Ingall in Race 24 at the Coates Hire Ipswich 360 last Sunday.

“That’s the process of learning,” Lowndes said. “It’s the way you have to make mistakes to learn form. I was lucky enough to have Peter Brock – every time I made a smaller mistake I’d always have someone to bounce off.

“Scotty probably doesn’t have that soundboard to bounce off.”

Pye runs 26th in the Championship with a best race finish of 11th in the very first race of the season and a best qualifying of 11th for Race Two.