Craig's Corner: Why I love the enduro season

This is the ninth exclusive Supercars.com column by Supercars Hall of Famer Craig Lowndes for the 2024 season. Seven-time Bathurst winner Lowndes will preview each round of the 2024 Repco Supercars Championship from his own perspective, continuing with this weekend’s Penrite Oil Sandown, where he is sharing a Triple Eight wildcard with rookie Cooper Murray.

I love this time of year, and I love the Sandown 500.

Over the years, I’ve come to know Sandown so well, and I desperately want to win another 500. This year, I feel we're in a great position to be able to better what we've had in the past, because of Cooper, his experience, and what he showed at Darwin.

It's a big week, being an enduro, and it's an exciting race. Personally, I’m very excited to be back in the driver's seat and racing with Cooper. I'm can’t wait to see what we can do as a wildcard.

This year, it's a little bit different, because Cooper has already got a contract for next year, which is fantastic. He's not racing to get a seat; rather, he can really take these races in his stride, and we can attack the weekend.

It’s been a strong build-up for us. Importantly, Cooper and I both read the car the same way, which is great. Our physical build is similar, and while he still has a seat insert, we both feel comfortable in the car.

What I like about Cooper is he's really trying to develop as a driver and get the best out of himself. I saw it at Darwin, and at our test days. He’s really focused on getting a result, and is taking on board everything he needs.

So, Sandown. Don’t be fooled by the track layout. It looks simple, but it's a unique and brutal circuit. It's probably the bumpiest circuit that we race on now. It's also probably the least grippiest circuit, because there are many different surfaces.

It’s only 3.1km long, but it's really tough on cars, which will have a massive influence on the race. You need to be strong under brakes, but have plenty of grunt. And you have to respect the kerbs, because they can bite, and catch you out.

This is Melbourne after all, so expect four seasons in one day. The forecast at the moment is mixed, and there could be scattered showers. That’s going to throw us into a world of challenges, so you need to be switched on when it comes to strategy. Last year we had to fight back, because we had a poor qualifying session.

It’s really going to come down to teams and drivers making the fewest mistakes, not only on track, but on strategy. It's why I love this part of the year, because it really is about the team. Everyone has to get it right, whether it's drivers, engineers, strategists, or pit crew. It’s a massive team effort.

There’s going to be a different dynamic this year with main drivers starting the race. While it's nothing new, it’s an interesting change. In my opinion, co-drivers should have the capability of starting races, because it does add another strategy element. It could limit the strategy outcome, because of the main drivers now starting. But, it is what it is.

Regardless, I think it will be an interesting race strategy-wise. How long will the main drivers drive for in the first part of the race? We’ll see. I’m torn on the rule, but I guess we'll see how it pans out.

It should be weather dependent. If it was wet, like it was at Bathurst two years ago, then yes, I understand that the main drivers should probably start because of their inexperience. But if it's dry, it should be open.

Last year, we saw a number of early Safety Cars. If that happens again, you'll see some early pit stops to get co-drivers in to complete their time. The middle part of the race, when the co-drivers are in, that's when they'll do their minimum 54 laps.

While it’s all about the enduros, the championship fight is starting to heat up. There’s just 81 points between Will Brown and Chaz Mostert, while Broc Feeney and Cam Waters are also within reach.

These two races can really make or break your season. There are 600 points up for grabs, so any slip-up could cost you dearly. In some regards, you have to attack these races and obviously put your best foot forward. However, you don't want to get caught up in someone else's incident after qualifying in the middle or back of the pack.

You've got to be smart when it comes to race time. If you don't have the opportunity to win or be on a podium, you've just got to make the best of what you've got. If you want to win the championship, you must finish these two races.

There’s also been plenty of news since the last round, headlined by Brodie Kostecki’s move to DJR. There’s been a lot of speculation about Brodie and Erebus all year since he's returned, but what we know for certain is where he’s going next.

Brodie should embrace this part of the season. He's not in a championship position, and a Sandown or Bathurst win would look great on his resume. There's no doubt that he'll be focused on getting the best result he can out of this part of the season.

Sandown is just a great old track. It's an iconic event, you really feel the history and the heritage. Just look back through the names that have won it in the past — they’ve gone on to win Bathurst and championships.

It’s a big race, but make no mistake, it’s also a lead-up into Bathurst, because it gives you a bit of a form guide, in the sense of the combinations and the teams and drivers.

See you at the track!