Lowndes’ 2018 season provided a fitting finale to one of Supercars’ greatest full-time careers. Racing under the Autobarn Lowndes Racing banner, he returned to winning form with a breakthrough victory at Symmons Plains before producing the defining moment of the season alongside Steven Richards at Bathurst. Their emotional triumph delivered Lowndes a record-extending seventh Bathurst 1000 victory, making his farewell full-time campaign one to remember. Finishing fourth in the championship, Lowndes signed off at the top level in style, cementing his legacy as one of Supercars’ most successful and admired competitors.

Craig Lowndes’ 2018 season was a fitting and emotional conclusion to one of the greatest full-time careers in Supercars history. Racing under the Autobarn Lowndes Racing banner, he returned to the front of the field after a challenging 2017 campaign and showed that his speed, experience and racecraft remained as strong as ever.

His first breakthrough came at Symmons Plains in Tasmania. Qualifying on the front row, Lowndes produced a composed and commanding drive to claim his first championship race victory since July 2016 and the 106th win of his Supercars career. The result ended a lengthy winless streak and demonstrated that, even in the final chapter of his full-time career, he remained capable of matching and defeating the championship’s best.

Midway through the season, Lowndes announced that 2018 would be his final year as a full-time Supercars driver. The announcement transformed the remainder of the campaign into a celebration of his extraordinary career, with fans around the country paying tribute to one of Australian motorsport’s most popular and successful figures.

The defining moment came at the Bathurst 1000, where Lowndes again partnered Steven Richards. Starting ninth on the grid, the pair overcame an off-track moment entering pit lane, persistent steering concerns and a difficult opening half of the race to remain within striking distance of the leaders.