Holdsworth gave heroes 'too much respect'

17 Aug 2022

'If I want to beat them, I have to have less respect for them'

2 mins by James Pavey

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Lee Holdsworth says he gave his heroes-turned-rivals “too much respect” in his early days in Supercars.

Holdsworth will celebrate his 500th race start at Sandown on Saturday.

The 39-year-old made his debut as a wildcard all the way back in 2004.

He was handed a full-time debut with Garry Rogers Motorsport in 2006.

Holdsworth was initially overawed by the calibre of his competition.

It took sharp words from Rogers and introspection within for Holdsworth to turn a corner.

“When I first came in, I looked up to everyone,” Holdsworth told the Penrite Preview.

Maiden victory at Oran Park, 2007

“You’re talking Murphy, Ingall, Ambrose, Skaife, Richards, Lowndes.

“[I gave them] too much respect. Then after a while, I thought, ‘No, that’s not the way it’s gonna be’.

“If I want to beat them, I have to have less respect for them.

“You’ve gotta start getting your elbows out and giving it back to them.”

Holdsworth scored a shock victory for Oran Park in 2007, and finished third in the 2009 Bathurst 1000.

A win at Sydney Olympic Park followed in 2010 before he shifted to Stone Brothers Racing in 2012.

Stints at Erebus Motorsport, Team 18 and Tickford Racing followed before he missed out on a drive in 2021.

Surprise Sydney win, 2010

Walkinshaw Andretti United handed him a lifeline, and he duly won the Great Race with Chaz Mostert.

It was in Bathurst, as a 21-year-old in 2004, where Holdsworth was first left wide-eyed by the brutality of Supercars.

“I’d never been to Bathurst before,” he said of the 2004 race.

“Mark Noske started the race, and they put me in just after he got a drive-through penalty.

“We were front of the field, just about to go a lap down, under Safety Car, so I’m leading the bunch.

“[Engineer] Ryan McLeod’s on the radio saying, ‘Don’t let them through over the top, let them through down the straights’.

“I’m up over the top shitting myself, I’ve got Ingall, Murphy drilling me.”

Holdsworth will bring up 500 starts in Race 24 on Saturday.

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