• Date of birth: 21st June 1974
• Birthplace: Melbourne, VIC
• Lives: Kilcoy, QLD
• Marital Status: Separated
• Height: 182cm
• Weight: 80kg
• Children and ages: Levi 7, Chilli Blue 5
• Nickname: Crackers
• Interests: Cattle, Horses, Quad bikes, Motorbikes and Family
• Personal vehicle: Holden Colorado

Driver Chat

• First Job: Mechanic
• First race car: F/Ford Van Dieman 85
• Racing Hero: Ayrton Senna
• Favourite circuit: Phillip Island
• Favourite Race: Clipsal 500
• Memorable races: Triple Crown 1996, Bathurst 2006
• Greatest influence: Peter Brock
• Best advice: You have two ears and one mouth for a reason
• Significance of helmet design: Aussie colours and my children
• You’ll never see me without: A Samsung mobile phone
• Favourite food: Seafood
• Favourite movie: Mad Max
• Music on my iPod: Powderfinger, James Blunt, Nickelback
• To stay in shape: Gym, swimming, running, riding

One of the nation’s most popular sporting heroes, Craig Lowndes made an early debut in Australian motorsport, competing in his first event at just nine years of age.

Go-Karting was the starting point for the talented youngster, who quickly showed the potential to rise through the ranks, winning the national Formula Ford title in 1993 and the Formula Holden Silver Star class in 1994.

That success put him on the radar of prominent V8 Supercar team, Holden Racing Team (HRT), with Lowndes earning a drive in the endurance races and finishing second on debut at Bathurst in 1994.

Lowndes joined HRT fulltime in 1996 and was an instant success. He took out his first-ever championship round and went on to become the youngest ever Australian Touring Car Champion, before winning the Sandown 500 and Bathurst 1000.

After an international venture in 1997, Lowndes returned to Australia and re-asserted himself on the V8 Supercar scene – winning the championship in 1998 and 1999. In 2001, Lowndes made the most controversial move of any Australian race driver, switching from Holden to Ford.

After a handful of seasons with limited success, highlighted by podium finishes at Bathurst in 2003 and 2004, Lowndes joined Triple Eight Race Engineering in 2005. A powerhouse internationally, Triple Eight was a perfect match for Lowndes and he finished second in the championship that year.

Lowndes narrowly missed out on the 2006 title, finishing second in a year which included his second Bathurst 1000 victory, and was third in 2007 after another Bathurst triumph.

In 2008, Lowndes recorded another strong season, finishing fourth in the championship and helping TeamVodafone to their inaugural team’s title. Along with team-mate Jamie Whincup, Lowndes won a history-making, third-consecutive Bathurst 1000.

Lowndes shone in a return to racing a Holden Commodore in 2010, with his most prized victory coming at Bathurst with former teammate Mark Skaife. The duo also took honours at Phillip Island.

In 2011 Lowndes had a hard fought battle against teammate Jamie Whincup, narrowly missing out on the 2011V8 Supercar Championship Series title, fighting until the last race of the season at the Sydney Telstra 500 and finishing second in the Championship. The V8 Veteran was also honoured with the prestigious Barry Sheene Medal for 2011.