The history of Holden

Holden celebrates 500 V8 Supercars race wins today, caps off a decorated history in Australian motorsport.

The first victory was back in 1969 with Norm Beechey behind the wheel of a Holden HK Monaro GTS 327 – and today’s honour was taken by Shane van Gisbergen. 

Mark Skaife remains the driver with the most wins in a Holden, the five-time champion clocking up 80 wins in his racing career with the brand.

Fan favourite and current V8 Supercars driver Craig Lowndes is close behind with 78 victories.

Jamie Whincup, Garth Tander and Peter Brock follow – all champions and household names.

Earning the victory at Symmons Plains is fitting, given it is now the equal most successful circuit in Australia for the manufacturer, tied with Perth’s Barbagallo Raceway.

Three of the makes major milestones have come at the Tasmanian circuit, with numbers 100 and 400 also achieved on the Apple Isle.

The current VF Commodore is the second most successful model, behind the VE Commodore, which won 103 races.

Lowndes won the 100th victory at Symmons Plains back in 1996, when he clean-swept the weekend in an HRT VR Commodore.

Young Lion Todd Kelly became the youngest race winner at 20 years of age when he won on the streets of Canberra and took Holden’s 200th in 2000.

Holden’s most successful driver, now commentator Mark Skaife clocked up 300 in New Zealand, holding out close Ford competitors.

Six and all-time champion Whincup clinched number 400 at Symmons Plains on his way to the title in 2011 – he won both races that weekend.

Today van Gisbergen was home ahead of Whincup at Symmons Plains, taking his first Championship win for Red Bull and Holden's 500th. 

HOLDEN BY THE NUMBERS

HOLDEN MILESTONE VICTORIES

1. Norm Beechey, Holden HK Monaro GTS 327  - Surfers Paradise, QLD, Holden HK Monaro GTS 327, Sunday, 31 August 1969

100. Craig Lowndes, Holden Racing Team, Symmons Plains, TAS, Holden Racing Team VR Commodore, Sunday, 17 March 1996

200. Todd Kelly, Canberra, ACT, Holden Young Lions VT Commodore        Sunday, 11 June 2000

300. Mark Skaife, Pukekohe, NZ, Holden Racing Team VZ Commodore, Sunday, 23 April 2006

400. Jamie Whincup, Symmons Plains, TAS, Team Vodafone VE II Commodore, Sunday, 13 November 2011

500. Shane Van Gisbergen, Symmons Plains, TAS, Red Bull Racing Australia, VF Commodore, Saturday, 2 April 2015

WINS BY DRIVER

Wins                 Driver

80                       Mark Skaife               

78                       Craig Lowndes        

65                       Jamie Whincup      

53                       Garth Tander           

46                       Peter Brock               

28                       Greg Murphy            

21                       Russell Ingall           

19                       Todd Kelly

14                       Jason Bright             

12                       Allan Grice, Rick Kelly          

9                          Shane van Gisbergen           

8                          Bob Morris, Larry Perkins 

7                          Jason Bargwanna, James Courtney               

6                          Norm Beechey, Colin Bond                

5                          Steven Richards, Fabian Coulthard               

4                          Jim Richards, Paul Dumbrell, Will Davison                

2                          John Harvey, Wayne Gardner Paul Morris, Tony Longhurst, Cameron McConville, Lee Holdsworth, Scott McLaughlin, Sebastien Bourdais, Warren Luff, Jonathon Webb, Nick Percat

1                          Charlie O’Brien, Dean Canto, Ian Geoghegan, Jack Perkins, Jason Richards, Michael Caruso, Steve Owen

WINS BY NAMEPLATE

Holden Monaro - 6

Holden Torana - 44

Holden Commodore - 450

WINS BY MODEL

VE Commodore - 103

VF Commodore - 78

VT Commodore - 63

VX Commodore - 45

VZ Commodore - 37

VS Commodore - 35

VR Commodore - 27

VY Commodore - 23

Torana L34 - 17

Torana A9X - 17

VP Commodore - 17

VH Commodore - 8

VB Commodore - 7

Torana XU-1 - 6

HT Monaro - 4

VC Commodore - 4

HK Monaro - 2

Torana SL/R5000 - 2

Torana LX SS - 2

VK Commodore - 2

VN Commodore - 1

Total - 500