How Lowndes/Richards can wrap up PIRTEK Enduro Cup
A 14th place finish in today’s second leg of the Vodafone Gold Coast 600 is all that’s required for Craig Lowndes and Steven Richards to wrap up the PIRTEK Enduro Cup.
The veteran duo entered the weekend with a 60-point advantage over the Scott McLaughlin/Alex Premat and Shane van Gisbergen/Earl Bamber combinations in the three-event contest.
Lowndes and Richards’ hopes appeared in trouble after a horror Saturday qualifying, where Lowndes was 16th fastest, and copped a five-place grid penalty for impeding Richie Stanaway.
However, it all turned around in the race as the Autobarn Holden surged to second, while McLaughlin/Premat were fifth after an early incident and van Gisbergen/Bamber 10th following a drive-through for a pitlane infringement.
It left Lowndes/Richards to head into today 87 points clear of the Shell Ford and 120 ahead of the Red Bull Holden.
The Chaz Mostert/James Moffat and Scott Pye/Warren Luff combinations are next in the order, both 150 points adrift of the lead, with 150 available for the race win.
Mostert/Moffat remain in mathematical contention, due to the possibility of beating Lowndes/Richards on a countback of wins, should they succeed again today.
Lowndes is aiming to join Luff as a two-time winner of the PIRTEK Enduro Cup.
They won the inaugural title together in 2013, before Luff repeated the feat alongside Garth Tander at the Holden Racing Team in 2015.
Victory would be the perfect end to the five-year Lowndes/Richards partnership, which is set to dissolve following the former’s decision to retire from full-time driving at the end of 2018.
Lowndes will co-drive a Red Bull HRT entry next year, while Richards’ Supercars future is currently unclear.
PIRTEK Enduro Cup points standings
Position/Team | Points | Diff |
1 |
Craig Lowndes & Steven Richards ›
Autobarn Lowndes Racing
Holden Commodore ZB
| 696 | 0 | |
2
Scott McLaughlin & Alexandre Prémat ›
Shell V-Power Racing Team
Ford Falcon FG X
| 609 | -87 | |
3
Shane van Gisbergen & Earl Bamber ›
Red Bull Holden Racing Team
Holden Commodore ZB
| 576 | -120 | |
4
Scott Pye & Warren Luff ›
Mobil 1 Boost Mobile Racing
Holden Commodore ZB
| 546 | -150 | |
5
Chaz Mostert & James Moffat ›
Supercheap Auto Racing
Ford Falcon FG X
| 546 | -150 | |
6
Jamie Whincup & Paul Dumbrell ›
Red Bull Holden Racing Team
Holden Commodore ZB
| 519 | -177 | |
7
David Reynolds & Luke Youlden ›
Erebus Penrite Racing
Holden Commodore ZB
| 474 | -222 | |
8
Garth Tander & Chris Pither ›
Wilson Security Racing GRM
Holden Commodore ZB
| 456 | -240 | |
9
Fabian Coulthard & Tony D'Alberto ›
Shell V-Power Racing Team
Ford Falcon FG X
| 432 | -264 | |
10
Rick Kelly & Garry Jacobson ›
Castrol Racing
Nissan Altima
| 363 | -333 | |
11
Nick Percat & Macauley Jones ›
Alliance Truck Parts Racing Team
Holden Commodore ZB
| 360 | -336 | |
12
Mark Winterbottom & Dean Canto ›
The Bottle-O Racing Team
Ford Falcon FG X
| 342 | -354 | |
13
James Golding & Richard Muscat ›
Wilson Security Racing GRM
Holden Commodore ZB
| 315 | -381 | |
14
Will Davison & Alex Davison ›
Milwaukee Racing
Ford Falcon FG X
| 309 | -387 | |
15
Cameron Waters & David Russell ›
Monster Energy Racing
Ford Falcon FG X
| 294 | -402 | |
16
Andre Heimgartner & Aaren Russell ›
Castrol / Plus Fitness Racing
Nissan Altima
| 288 | -408 | |
17
Tim Slade & Ash Walsh ›
Freightliner Racing
Holden Commodore ZB
| 270 | -426 | |
18
Jack Le Brocq & Jonathon Webb ›
Tekno Autosports
Holden Commodore ZB
| 255 | -441 | |
19
Tim Blanchard & Dale Wood ›
Team CoolDrive
Holden Commodore ZB
| 252 | -444 | |
20
James Courtney & Jack Perkins ›
Mobil 1 Boost Mobile Racing
Holden Commodore ZB
| 243 | -453 | |
21
Todd Hazelwood & Bryce Fullwood ›
Bigmate Racing
Holden Commodore VF
| 219 | -477 | |
22
Lee Holdsworth & Jason Bright ›
Preston Hire Racing
Holden Commodore ZB
| 216 | -480 | |
23
Anton de Pasquale & Will Brown ›
Erebus Penrite Motorsport
Holden Commodore ZB
| 204 | -492 | |
24
Simona De Silvestro & Alex Rullo ›
Team Harvey Norman
Nissan Altima
| 177 | -519 | |
25
Richie Stanaway & Steve Owen ›
RABBLE.club Racing
Ford Falcon FG X
| 168 | -528 | |
26
Michael Caruso & Dean Fiore ›
Industrial Athlete Racing
Nissan Altima
| 96 | -600 |
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