Craig Lowndes delivers the Peter Brock Trophy ahead of the 2024 Bathurst 1000. Image: InSyde Media
The veteran fan favourite’s future has been the subject of intrigue since Triple Eight made the bombshell announcement in January that it will be returning to Ford next season.
Lowndes subsequently elected to split with Triple Eight after 21 seasons to extend his relationship with GM, which has thus far only confirmed an ongoing ambassadorial role.
However, Speedcafe believes GM has now lined up a deal for Lowndes to return to the Supercars endurance events in 2026 via a new wildcard program at Team 18.
Charlie Schwerkolt’s squad is taking over the GM HT role from Triple Eight and Lowndes will add serious star power to the operation.
GMSV boss Jess Bala isn’t ready to confirm the full plan to Speedcafe, but hinted an announcement might not be far away.
“We do [have a plan locked in] and we’ll reveal more shortly,” she said. “We’ll leave it at that.”
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Chevrolet Racing boss Chris Payne had said upon the announcement of Team 18 as its new HT back in April that GM is keen to see Lowndes race on.
The Bathurst career first for Lowndes in Triple Eight farewell
“We’ve recontracted with Craig for the long term as an ambassador for our organisation, and it would be logical that he would partner with one of the Chevrolet teams,” he said.
“We’ve got to work our way through that, and we’ll have a subsequent announcement of that when the appropriate time is.”
Official confirmation of Lowndes’ driving future is likely ahead of his final Endurance Cup starts with Triple Eight at The Bend and Bathurst in September and October.
This year will mark Lowndes’ 32nd Bathurst 1000 start, equalling that of mentor Peter Brock. Only Jim Richards with 35 has more.
GM last week announced Lowndes will warm up for this year’s Enduro Cup by contesting a two-driver TA2 Muscle Car Series round at Queensland Raceway with young gun Jarrod Hughes.
Lowndes has done remarkably little racing outside of the enduros in recent years, but still manages to perform strongly on the big stage at Bathurst.
Lowndes to make TA2 debut in factory-backed Chevrolet
In a recent interview with Speedcafe, Lowndes said he feels the limited test and ride day running in the Gen3 cars each year is enough to prepare him for the Great Race.
“To be honest I’ve always been able to jump in a car and just switch on fairly quickly,” said the 51-year-old, who retired from full-time Supercars driving at the end of 2018.
“The biggest thing is the muscle memory and the layout of the car, knowing where the switches are and everything else when things go wrong.
“When things go smoothly it’s always easy. It’s when things go wrong that you need to know where everything is.
“The Bend will be a little different, I’ve only been there a couple of times in a race program.
“But of course Bathurst, I’m lucky enough I know it so well that when we get there it’s just a matter of hitting all those triggers that Brock taught me all those years ago.
“Once I do a number of laps around Bathurst it’s like riding a bike or jumping back on the horse. You hit the marks and work out where you can push and where you can’t.”
Lowndes will this year share Triple Eight’s wildcard Camaro with reigning Super2 Series winner Zach Bates.