Lowndes swaps wheels for wings

Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it's Craig Lowndes!

Today the V8 Supercar legend swapped wheels for wings in a tandem flight with world-record holding hang glider Jonny Durand. The pair took to the North Queensland skies for a 'bird's-eye view' of the Reid Park circuit which will play host to theCastrol Townsville 500 - Driven by TAFE Queensland - from tomorrow.

The tandem hang gliding session was a first for Lowndes, allowing him a brand new perspective on what lies ahead for he and fellow Red Bull Racing Australia teammate Jamie Whincup throughout the event.

"There's no doubt that you see the track from a whole new angle when you're 3000ft high in the hang glider and it was a great experience," Lowndes said.

"It's the first time in my life that I've been in a machine with no engine in it, so it was quite a different experience and I have a lot of respect for Jonny and how he navigates the skies without a motor.

"Now that I know the winds are up I'll have to keep that in the back of my mind while I search for that extra tenth of a second."

For word-record holding hang glider Jonny Durand, it was also a new experience marking his first flight over the Townsville region.

"The sun was out shining this morning which allowed us a great view of the racetrack and we topped that off with a smooth landing so all in all it was a successful flight for both of us," Durand said.

"As soon as qualifying hits the tracks, I'll be cheering both the Red Bull Racing Australia boys all the way to the finish line and hopefully we see them on the podium!"

The Castrol Townsville 500 - Driven by TAFE Queensland marks the official halfway point in the 2014 V8 Supercars Championship and Lowndes is looking forward to the races ahead.

"Now that we're mid-way through the season, we're on the way back up after a decent weekend in Darwin but of course we have to keep chipping away at the points as every race that goes by makes it harder," Lowndes said.

"The second half of the season has always been my strong point and I'm looking forward to kicking off that assault in Townsville. With the Reid Park circuit throwing up all sorts of obstacles, having the car balanced is going to be the main objective here."

Tickets are still available for the Castrol Townsville 500 - Driven by TAFE Queensland now.