Zach Bates, Jamie Whincup and Craig Lowndes with the Supercheap Camaro. Image: Supplied
Whincup and Lowndes’ co-driver Zach Bates took the covers off the #888 Camaro in front of Lowndes, media and fans at Bathurst’s Supercheap Auto store this afternoon.
The look has subtle suggestions of the scheme the team ran in 2012 while sponsored by Vodafone, albeit with a very different shade of red.
Triple Eight reveals subtle throwback for Lowndes farewell
“We had quite a few different liveries from Lowndsey over the years and we had to work pretty closely with Supercheap on what was possible from a branding point of view,” Whincup told Speedcafe.
“Everyone from the outside goes ‘go crazy’, which is all good and well, but there’s obviously branding expectations also.
“So the 2012 livery worked. It was a combo of both, a great year that also worked with the Supercheap Auto branding.”
The choice of 2012 is somewhat ironic given it was a year in which Whincup beat Lowndes to the championship and scored his only Bathurst win to date without Lowndes by his side.
Lowndes didn’t actually run the 2012 season livery at Bathurst that year, as he was instead aboard a Peter Brock-themed retro contender.
Whincup races to victory at Bathurst in 2012. Image: Glenis Lindley
Asked by Speedcafe whether the latest livery is a Lowndes or a Whincup tribute, Lowndes laughed: “It could be both to be honest. It could be [celebrating] the end of the Jamie/GM era!
“It was always going to be difficult. Obviously Supercheap love the red and making it loud to make it different.
“But I think they’ve done a great job. It does stand out. I actually like the black inserts, just that makes it nice.”
Lowndes is farewelling Triple Eight after 21 years as part of the fallout from the team’s decision to switch to Ford to 2026.
The fan favourite driver will instead stick with GM as the Supercheap wildcard program moves to its new homologation squad Team 18.
Lowndes and Bates with fans at the livery unveil. Image: Supplied
“I think once we drive the cars out onto the track I’ll realise it’s the last time I’ll pilot a Triple Eight car,” Lowndes said.
“For 21 years I’ve been lucky enough to come to this place knowing I’ve got equally the best equipment underneath me to back it up.
“I think this year is going to be quite special.”
This weekend also marks Lowndes’ 32nd Bathurst 1000 start, tying him with Peter Brock for second on the all-time list behind Jim Richards.
Co-driver Bates is meanwhile making his first start and will be doing so just days after the passing of his mother and popular media talent Alison Drower.
The Supercheap Camaro will carry a small sticker on its C-pillar depicting an image of Zach with parents Drower and Rick Bates in tribute.
Zach Bates shows off the tribute sticker. Image: Supplied
‘She’ll be with me’: Bates mourns mum ahead of Bathurst 1000 debut