Supercars legend Craig Lowndes has refuted claims he was pushed into retirement from full-time driving, telling motoring.com.au contributor Greg Rust in the latest Rusty’s Garage podcast that he hasn’t had a moment of regret about the decision.
Lowndes made the shock announcement in early July at the Townsville round of the championship and will only contest the Supercars endurance races next season.
Lowndes told us the following day that it was the right time to announce his retirement, but it’s a blow for the sport as he is the Supercars championship’s biggest name and some fans feel aggrieved that their hero hasn’t had the chance to do a full farewell tour. Most expect he’ll be trackside at every round in 2019 regardless.
Reigning Bathurst champ David Reynolds and Sky TV host Paul Murray told Fox Motorsport they felt Lowndes had “half been pushed out” and expressed their disappointment at the way it was handled without more fanfare.
In the extended 90-minute chat with Rusty, Lowndes said: “Since I made the announcement… I don’t wake up at any point, on any morning, thinking I’ve made the wrong choice – and I think that’s a good telling fact.”
“At the end of last year everyone was yelling at me to retire then. I went through the whole year without winning a race!
“Then we had a podium on the Saturday in Tasmania this year and backed it up with a pole position and a win on Sunday and the team was elated!
“We always said we wanted to go out on a high. We didn’t want to just make up the numbers. So we sat down with Roland [Dane – Triple Eight team boss] and he backed us.”
Had a great chat with Rusty recently about all things in and out of the car, thanks mate. It’s available here ????https://t.co/S5fhI9txcK https://t.co/oct06BFHi5
— Craig Lowndes (@craiglowndes888) August 11, 2018
Currently running fourth in the championship, Lowndes now at least has the chance to finish on a high.
In addition to the Supercars enduros next year, he’s also expressed a desire to tackle the Le Mans 24 Hour and head back to the Spa 24 Hour.
In the podcast Lowndes also makes an impassioned plea to Roland Dane to take his 2006 Bathurst-winning Falcon to the UK and let him drive it at Goodwood.
Dane still owns the car that Lowndes and Jamie Whincup drove to an emotional victory just weeks after losing his mentor Peter Brock.
The normally guarded Lowndes also recalls how his relationship with HRT broke down, triggering his high-profile defection to Ford in 2001.
Now listen to the full Rusty’s Garage podcast here.