Goddard recalls Lowndes' reaction to 200km/h scare
Supercars
18 Sep 2023
Lowndes/Goddard finish 10th in Sandown 500
Lowndes sent sideways at 200km/h early in Sandown 500
Lowndes/Goddard readying for historic Bathurst start, which is Lowndes' 30th
were in mouths in the Triple Eight garage as Craig Lowndes was crossed up at 200km/h in Sunday’s Penrite Oil Sandown 500 — but not to much for the driver himself.
Lowndes and Zane Goddard brought the #888 Supercheap Auto Camaro from 23rd to 10th on Sunday in another strong outing for Triple Eight’s wildcard program.
However, the day could have ended in dramatic fashion little over a quarter of the way in when Lowndes was hit while clocking through the gears on the back straight.
On lap 43, Lowndes disputed 13th with Jaylyn Robotham (#35 Truck Assist Camaro), Richie Stanaway (#97 Red Bull Ampol Camaro) and Jaxon Evans (#4 SCT Logistics Camaro).
Lowndes and Robotham collided through the fast Turn 5, jerking the #888 Chevrolet sideways and towards the grass. Lowndes saved it and carried on, before handing over to Goddard.
It was a far cry to what unfolded in the earlier Dunlop Series race, when Aaron Love was sent into a spin after an incident with Ryan Wood and Brad Vaughan.
Goddard said the garage erupted in emotion, but when he asked Lowndes if he had any wild moments in the race, the Supercars Hall of Famer had already forgotten about it.
“There was a lot of yelling in the garage,” Goddard told the Schick Cool Down Lap podcast.
“Usually it doesn’t end up good when that happens, but he gathered it up. It happened to someone else as well.
“It’s pretty hectic through there, and I’m glad the car came out the other side. It’s funny, when I asked Craig if he had any loose moments, he said, ‘Nah, not really’.”
On Lowndes’ performance, Goddard said: “Really happy. Far out, Craig was quick at the start, it was looking like he’d never left.
“He was going through the field so quick, I was thinking maybe we should keep him in!
“Held onto a top 10, had a lot of pressure there at the end with the Safety Car, but a good afternoon.”
Lowndes and Goddard now shift attention to the Repco Bathurst 1000, with Lowndes making his 30th consecutive start. Given the top 10 at Sandown, Lowndes is feeling good about a strong tilt at the Great Race.
Last year, Lowndes and Declan Fraser took the #888 entry to the best ever wildcard result at Mount Panorama with eighth.
“It’s an amazing feeling to be finishing in P10,” seven-time Bathurst winner Lowndes said.
"It was a really good feeling coming into this weekend as a bit of a lead in to the Bathurst 1000 but we wanted to still do well.
"Zane did a fantastic job to bring it home under a lot of pressure from the primary drivers to bring home a P10 which was really really good.
"I think the result this weekend is really encouraging heading into Bathurst with the same car, the same group. Zane and I will also take a lot out of this weekend before taking on the mountain.”
