Skaife's last HRT livery reborn for Sandown
Mobil 1 Boost Mobile Racing will run a take on Mark Skaife's final Holden Racing Team livery for this weekend's RABBLE.club Sandown 500.
The squad has dipped back into its former factory Holden days, and the 2008 season, for the retro look to be carried by Scott Pye/Warren Luff and James Courtney/Jack Perkins.
Skaife contested his final full-time Supercars season in 2008, alongside then-new recruit and defending champion Garth Tander.
“There’s no denying the power in our history,” co-team principal Bruce Stewart said.
“It’s a livery and period which our fans are so passionate about, and we are delighted to bring that to life at Sandown.
“We have a diverse fan base, both young and old, so we wanted to pay tribute to a livery that is recognisable with all age groups, and that was so well-loved across generations.
“The car looks outstanding, the PPG day-glow red will be sure to turn heads when it hits the track this weekend, and the adaptation between the VE Commodore and ZB Commodore has been excellent.
“It’s also fitting to pay tribute to the contribution that Mark Skaife made to this team. He is not only a legend of this team, but the sport as a whole.”
Tander and Skaife finished third and 14th in the 2008 standings respectively, their victory together in the Phillip Island 500 a high point.
The 2007 champion with the HSV Dealer Team, Tander was not the only new arrival at the HRT for '08 in what was a significant period of change within the Clayton empire.
Key personnel including engineer Mathew Nilsson was also summoned back from the sister squad in an attempt to restore the HRT to its former glory.
Off-track, Skaife's ownership tenure – which started in 2003 following the demise of Tom Walkinshaw Racing – came to an end, with Walkinshaw taking back Skaife's remaining 50 percent stake.
The designer of the 2008 livery, Holden's Peter Hughes worked on its adaption for this weekend's event.
“It was a nice surprise to get the call, inviting me back down to Clayton to develop the WAU 2018 retro round livery," Hughes, said.
“I've had such a long and rewarding association with this team, so being re-united and catching up with so many familiar faces was fantastic.
“Walkinshaw Andretti United chose the 2008 livery as their base, and it was a blast re-imagining one of my old liveries a decade later, onto the ZB Commodore.
“2008 was a clean and simple layout, so it didn’t take too much fettling to get it onto the new car’s shape, and the colours and break up work well with the current day partners.
“We’re all pretty happy with the end result, and I’m sure it will bring back many great memories when it rolls out at Sandown, not only for me, but for all long-time fans and members of the team.”
Pye and Courtney head to the team's home race 10th and 13th in this year's Supercars standings.
The team has two of the 11 unchanged PIRTEK Enduro Cup driver combinations, with Pye and Luff finishing second at Bathurst last year.
