Holden teams come together in Adelaide
Holden teams have lined cars on the VALO Adelaide 500 grid as they prepare for the brand’s final Supercars starts.
This weekend’s event will be the last for Holden in the Repco Supercars Championship.
Supercars was largely built on Holden’s rivalry with Ford.
From 2023, General Motors will be represented by the Chevrolet Camaro in the Gen3 era.
Of the current 25-car grid, 16 are Commodores.
Wednesday’s shoot saw the Commodore teams represented in unity.
It was similar to scenes from 2020, when Holden drivers and crews gathered on the Adelaide pit straight.
The 2020 Adelaide 500 was preceded by the announcement of Holden’s axing.
Holden legend and Supercars Hall of Famer Mark Skaife posed in front of the cars.
The six-time Bathurst winner — four times for Holden — won 80 races in Commodores.
Only Jamie Whincup (91 wins) and Craig Lowndes (85) won more races in Holdens.
This year, champion-elect Shane van Gisbergen (73 wins) moved to fourth on Holden’s all-time list ahead of Garth Tander (57).
Skaife, a two-time Adelaide 500 winner, recently detailed the significance of this weekend’s event.
"It's the final time you're going to see Holden on the race track," Skaife said.
"We think it's utterly supportive of not only the Holden fans, but appropriate for a Holden town like this one, to have the last race for Holden.
"It's a massive moment in the history of our sport, but a massive moment for South Australia."
Holden’s final season has already included a Bathurst win, drivers’ and teams’ championship titles, and the manufacturers’ title.
The final hurdle is victory in the brand’s very last race, which will be held on Sunday.
Walkinshaw Andretti UnitedAdelaide has proven a prolific proving ground for the Commodore, which has won 30 of the 46 races at the street circuit.
Lowndes helped Holden to victory in the very first Adelaide 500 in 1999.
Holden’s two leading teams — Triple Eight and Walkinshaw Andretti United — will both campaign tribute liveries.
Van Gisbergen will also carry the #1 on his Red Bull Ampol Commodore.
Three-time champion van Gisbergen has won a record 21 races this season, but wants to send Holden out on top.
"I want to win more races," van Gisbergen said.
“So for sure we can go to Adelaide as a celebration and have a good time.
"We also have the chance to celebrate Holden, that’s going to mean a lot to our team and GM.
"We want to go out with a good result. Everyone wants to be the last Holden winner.
"The Ford guys probably want to spoil that, so I’ll be there prepared but also ready to party."
Whincup, who won five of his seven titles in Commodores, said Sunday’s race will "pull a heart string".
"There’s certainly no underestimating the significance of this year’s Adelaide 500," Whincup said.
"Seeing the Holden badge cross the finish line for the final time on Sunday on its home soil will no doubt pull a heart string."
Cars will hit the track in Adelaide on Thursday. Tickets are on sale on Supercars.com and Ticketek.com.
