Winterbottom to equal Ingall at Pukekohe

The upcoming ITM Auckland SuperSprint will see Mark Winterbottom slot into third all-time on race starts.

Winterbottom, the 2015 series championship, made his 585th start in the Sandown finale.

Three more, and the 2013 Bathurst winner will join Russell Ingall in third position on the all-time ATCC/Supercars list of most race starts.

Ingall came out of retirement last year in Bathurst and recorded start No. 588.

Only two drivers - Craig Lowndes and Garth Tander - have made 600 or more race starts.

Lowndes and Tander will make starts 675 and 642 respectively at October’s Repco Bathurst 1000.

Winterbottom last won in 2016

Should he start every race remaining this year, Winterbottom will end 2022 on 593 race starts.

Winterbottom has yet to confirm if he will race on in 2023.

However, the 38-time race winner is expected to stay on for a fifth season with Team 18.

The 41-year-old will equal Ingall’s marker at a venue which carries significance for the former Ford hero.

Winterbottom’s 38th and most recent race win came at Pukekohe in 2016.

He also won the second Jason Richards Memorial Trophy in 2014.

Both results came with what is now known as Tickford Racing, where Winterbottom raced between 2006 and 2018.

Winterbottom with the Queensland school children

Winterbottom joined Team 18 in 2019, and has yet to score a podium for the team.

Team 18 turned a corner at the recent Sandown round, with Scott Pye also showing impressive pace.

Winterbottom’s run to New Zealand included a tour of central Queensland.

He visited the Rolleston Open Cut Mine site prior to Sandown, which included a visit with Springsure State School children.

Winterbottom was accompanied by Anthony Ficarra (FUCHS Channel Marketing Manager), Robert Fryer (FUCHS AISEA Mining Division GM) and Steve Joy (FUCHS Glencore Account Manager).

Some Glencore employees also won tickets to see Winterbottom in action at October’s Boost Mobile Gold Coast 500.

School children also got to ask questions to Winterbottom, check out the IRWIN Racing show car and receive gifts from the team.

"It was a really good experience," Winterbottom said of the tour.

"Everyone was buzzing that we were there which was a really cool feeling, there were people wanting to stop and take photos before we even got through the gate.

"It’s amazing how our sport is truly national, whether it’s country towns that are hours away from a track.

"They still watch Bathurst, they knew exactly who we were.

"The kids were really engaged… these towns wouldn’t have seen a Supercar driver or race car before."

Winterbottom and Pye are 12th and 17th in the standings heading to New Zealand.

Purchase your ITM Auckland SuperSprint tickets now.

Most ATCC/Supercars race starts*

*Correct to 2022 Penrite Oil Sandown SuperSprint