Triple Eight Race Engineering is thrilled to announce the signing of Zane Goddard, who will join the team’s driving roster and planned continuation of our wildcard program alongside Craig Lowndes in the Supercheap Auto-backed Chevrolet Camaro.
The 23-year-old boasts an extensive racing resume, making his road racing debut in the 2015 Australian Formula 4 Championship before heading off to England to compete in the F4 British Championship in 2016. The following year, Goddard made the move into the ultra-competitive Formula Renault 2.0 Eurocup with Arden International.
2018 would see Goddard make his debut in the Super2 series with Brad Jones Racing, before joining MW Motorsport for his second Super2 season with immediate impact, finishing on the podium at the first four races of the year. His main-game debut came in 2020 as part of Matt Stone Racing’s ‘SuperLite’ program before cementing a full-time drive for the team in 2021
Since the commencement of Triple Eight’s Supercheap Auto-backed wildcard program in 2020, the team has seen two emerging stars of the sport in Broc Feeney and Declan Fraser graduate to the Supercars Championship in a full-time capacity. The wildcard entry at last year’s Bathurst 1000 piloted by Craig Lowndes and Declan Fraser had a breakout result, finishing eighth – the highest placing ever for a wildcard entry at the ‘Great Race.’
Quotes:
Zane Goddard
“I’m super excited to be joining the team this year. The Supercheap Auto wildcard program has been so successful for the past two years, and to join a team that have been so dominant in both the drivers’ and teams’ championships is amazing. Having Craig to learn off, not just on the track but also off the track is going to be a great experience. To also work with an iconic brand like Supercheap Auto is fantastic and an opportunity I couldn’t turn down.
“When I was younger, I loved watching Lowndesy winning races, and to now be partnering up with him for the enduro season is amazing – hopefully we can win some races together. To learn off him is going to be the most valuable part; the way he is with sponsors, TV, the way he drives, the way he conducts himself – there’s a lot to learn off him. There’s no one better to learn off especially leading into Bathurst because he’s won so many times.
“It’s not very often you get a new car either, so that’s going to be special as a race car driver. The Camaros look awesome and they’re going to look even better on the track. I had a little bit of an involvement in the Gen3 program last year as a test driver, so hopefully I have an upper hand there. They’re awesome cars and a lot of fun to drive – I think it’s exactly what the category needs.
“I’ve obviously been in the main game before and my aim is to get back there, so working with a great team, a great driver and a great sponsor is hopefully going to help me achieve that. You can develop so much as a driver working with such a great team on and off the track. I really want to get back in a supercar in a full-time capacity and the last two drivers of the Supercheap Auto wildcard program have achieved that.”
Craig Lowndes
“Being part of the Supercheap Auto team last year and the way they presented themselves was amazing. I’m excited to come back and grow on that – make it bigger and more super. “I’ve been working alongside Zane for the last couple of years. We’ve been doing some demonstrations together with the Gen3 car, so I got to know Zane pretty well over this time, as well as his stint in the main game.
“He’s a great young kid with great speed, and a great head on his shoulders. For me, I’m really looking forward to going to Bathurst this year in the wildcard and share the load both on and off the track.
“I really enjoyed the mentoring side of things last year with Declan (Fraser). I think that Zane is a bit further down the path then what Declan was or is now, so for me I don’t think it’ll be as intense but off the track, hopefully we can share the knowledge and experience we have, especially when you go to Bathurst because it’s such a long week.
“Once we get the cars built, ergonomics will be a big focus for us to ensure we’re both comfortable inside of the car. Zane’s height is very similar to mine – I’m probably a little bit wider in the girth, but I’m really looking forward to getting on track to sort those thing outs.
“My focus going into this year is to better our result from last year. We achieved the best result for any wildcard entry at the Bathurst 1000, so that was great. The problem is, you want to do that again, so my focus is to finish higher than eighth.
“It’s fantastic to have a major organisation like Supercheap Auto backs a program like this – you really have to take these opportunities with both hands. I know Broc (Feeney) did and has now migrated into the main game, same as Declan (Fraser). Zane has been in that position, but we now want to get him back there and this is a great opportunity for it.”
Jamie Whincup, Team Principal, Triple Eight Race Engineering
“Zane is an amazingly talented driver, and the entire team are so excited to have him join us in 2023, partnering with Lowndesy.
“His racing resume for such a young age is quite impressive; two years in Super2, two years in the main game and a handful of Bathurst 1000 appearances – he’s going to be an incredible asset to our program. It’s now up to us give him all the support he needs to grab this opportunity with both hands.
“I also want to thank Supercheap Auto for their continued support of such an amazing program. To think our Supercheap Auto wildcard program over the last two years has helped two emerging superstars in Broc (Feeney) and Declan (Fraser) graduate to the Supercars Championship as full-time drivers is beyond amazing. Their support for not only our team, but the sport itself should not be underestimated.”
Benjamin Ward, Managing Director, Supercheap Auto
“Supercheap Auto is super excited to partner with Triple Eight Race Engineering for our third consecutive year with a Supercars Wildcard.
“We’re delighted to welcome back Craig Lowndes in the Supercheap Auto Racing Camaro and provide Zane Goddard an opportunity to showcase his full potential.
“Fans can expect we’ll make it super again in 2023, with exciting plans on and off track for this year’s Supercheap Auto Wildcard program.”
