Skaife backs Lowndes to beat Brock’s record

Supercars legend Mark Skaife has declared Jamie Whincup and Craig Lowndes the favourites for this year’s Great Race, and backed Lowndes’ quest to beat Peter Brock’s all-time win record.

Lowndes took his seventh Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000 victory last year, closing in on his late mentor’s record tally of nine.

Now 45, Lowndes has stepped back from full-time to co-driver duties this season, reuniting with Whincup, with whom he took a Bathurst hat-trick from 2006-08.

Lowndes recently extended his deal with Triple Eight, confirming he’ll co-drive for the team through until at least the end of 2021.

Asked by Supercars.com if he thinks Lowndes will match or even beat Brock’s record, Skaife said: “I firmly believe that he can do that.

“I see no reason why, with one of the best teams in pitlane and with a co-driver like Whincup, there’s no reason at all that Craig couldn’t break the record.”

Although Scott McLaughlin and Shell V-Power Racing have dominated the 2019 season, Skaife sees the Red Bull Holden Racing Team duo as the team to beat at Bathurst.

“I think the favourite would have to be Whincup and Lowndes,” said Skaife, who won the Great Race six times, including in 2010 alongside Lowndes.

“But I’m saying that narrowly, given the level of competition and all the things that Bathurst throws up. It’s very open.”

Skaife feels that the results last-time out at Pukekohe, where the Holden runners debuted a revised aero kit, have thrown the formbook open for the Great Race.

“For the first time all year, the Commodore has got an aero package that’s able to take it to Mustang now,” he said.

“You could visually see it, the drivers were commenting on it and the lap times and performances suggested it.

“I think if you look at the field, I reckon there’s 10 or 12 combinations that can win it and they’re not necessarily in line with existing form lines.

“I thought Tickford had made ground on DJR Team Penske at Pukekohe, the cars were better than I had seen them. They have absolutely improved.

“David Reynolds and Luke Youlden are going to be strong, and I think the engine performance and professionalism around the Walkinshaw organisation will be better at Bathurst.

“They’ve got a good record and have historically made the cars work there. They’re going to be stronger and have got good, reliable co-drivers with both [Scott] Pye and James [Courtney].

“Although the Red Bull Holden Racing Team have got the strongest driver combinations, there’s another eight or 10 cars that are going to be hard to beat.”

The Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000 will take place over October 10-13, with Skaife featuring on Fox Sports as a commentator and analyst as part of its extensive coverage.