HOLDEN HAS PULLED OFF the biggest coup in recent Australian motorsport history after agreeing to a deal to support Triple Eight Racing from 2010.
The Queensland-based team has been in conflict with Ford since the manufacturer decided to drop its factory support, despite Triple Eight Racing’s status as the outstanding team in V8 Supercars.
Jamie Whincup and Craig Lowndes managed to almost single-handedly revive Ford’s fortunes at Mount Panorama, winning the last three ‘great races’ following seven straight years of Holden domination.
Whincup completed Ford’s revival when he claimed the V8 Supercars driver’s title last year, while the factory-backed outfits, Ford Performance Racing and Stone Brothers Racing continued to flounder in comparison.
In retaliation to Ford’s decision, Triple Eight boss Roland Dane decided to symbolically strip his vehicles of their Ford badge and all related signage.
And the transformation from Ford standout to Holden standard bearer is likely to be announced in the next 24 hours when Triple Eight Racing will be revealed as the second GM Holden supported team, alongside Holden Racing Team.
Dane refused to confirm the widely reported defection, but hinted to News Limited that an announcement could be expected in the next 24 hours, saying, “No comment at the moment. Try me again later tomorrow.”
Holden Motorsport meanwhile declined to engage in discussions surrounding the rumours, claiming it would contravene company policy.
The decision to swap racing marques was assisted by the lapse of Lowndes’ deal with Ford at the end of the year, and comes after the four-time Bathurst winner and Whincup extended their contracts with Triple Eight until 2012.
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sucked in Ford, yet another blow to the brand…but…what does V8 Supercars really do for manufacturers anyways? Isn’t it only 20% of Ford’s sales Falcons nowadays? Who really goes to the V8’s then says “I’ll have to get a XR8/SS now” - OK there are those who do but is it enough to warrant such massive manufacturer support? Can’t wait till other brands make their way back into the comp and represent what others of us drive like hot hatches, will be like the old days of mini’s on the mountain!!!!
Wrong. So Wrong.
As much as it saddens me to read this I can’t blame them for doing it. Ford pulled the funding so the blame lies with them.
Cold day in hell
That’ll teach you Ford, I wonder if Paul Cruickshank and Tricky Dicky’s teams will now drive Holdens as they are customer cars of T8. This makes sense though, as T8 in Europe are GM aligned and funnily enough Walkinshaw’s outfit is Ford aligned, work that out!
We don’t want him back two timing lowndes deserves to end up on the scrap heap with his ford.
This is all to do with dollars and cents. I know that triple 8 is aligned with GM in Europe so this had to be expected at some time. The only issue will be the number or lack there of Fords in the V8 Supercar series. I still believe the FG Falcons are a better racing option than the VE Commodores and this might be a bad more racing wise but not necessarily dollar wise. Only time will tell.
What a sad day for Holden Fans.. We don’t want Lowndes back under the Red Lion flag… He jumped ship and went to Ford because they offered him more money!!! He deserves to end up on the scrap heap.. What a TRAITOR.. and to think the late great P.Brock mentored him.. P.Brock would be spinning in his grave!!!!
I’m a Holden fan and I was getting sick of Ford (sorry I mean the Hogster Falcons :P) winning every thing, but now Holden is gonna start winning everything - to me, and all the other Holden fans I don’t know if that’s a good thing or a bad thing.
Be interesting to see what happens.
Good on 888, if ford arent gonna back the most obvious chargers for the blue oval then thats their loss, Lowndes & Whincup a part of the generals men, thats gonna be sensational,, If your not to into Lowndes stop & think about it ”he won just about everything in a holden” he needed to be challenged, but now hes back, still spewing our guts, answer this…would you move job for better money,,I rest my case,,
Mary,
Whilst I agree that we may not want Lowndes back, without question we want the sports biggest talent back. Whincup drove a Commodore only a few seasons ago (2006) with Tasman and had a 2nd place in that car.
As for your comments about Peter Brock spinning in his grave, I don’t think Peter would be too perturbed as he drove a Ford Sierra RS500 and a Volvo 850 at different stages of his career. He too drove what suited him at the time.
I hope all you “traitor” haters (Lowndsy) are supporting your Holden blood by buying Holdens, i bet some are but quite obviously a lot aren’t or big car sales for both manufacturers would not be going backwards at a bazillion miles an hour. Wake up, Ford v Holden was dead years ago for most normal people, it is now just marketing spin.
Take a step back from the ‘holden v ford’ ‘red v blue’ mentality - and you’ll see they’re both excellent drivers in their own right - and you should be honoured to see them and the might of the Triple 888 racing team with Holden colours!
While I was initially unhappy when Lowndes jumped ship, I never stopped cheering for him especially when he won the Peter Brock trophy. IMO he was the only driver who deserved to win it. And, I’m a Holden fan!
By the way; Lowndes owned Fords LONG before he was driving for Holden - you bogans seem to think because that’s where he started that’s where he would stay.
@robbo Hate to burst your bubble - but the other manufacturers cars must be V8 powered too…
i am so sick of people calling lowndes a traitor,he is not the only driver who has switched camps,drivers swap for so many reasons,what is wrong with you people??!!, and im afraid big business rules australian sport these days,and the players are just told what to do etc, and there is nothing we can do about it so lets just enjoy what we have left of a once iconic sport and stop your bloody complaining!!!
Mary,
If you were in a job and somebody else offered you more money I seriously doubt you’d consider yourself a traitor for leaving. He’s not a traitor, just a normal human being. Do people really think any sportsman in a team has the same passion (for that team) as they do? Generally you’ll find that they have a passion for one thing - success. And it doesn’t matter which team they’re in, as long as they get it.
So before you start going and calling people traitors, put yourself in their shoes and consider what you’d do…
To those holden fans that think Craig is a traitor, don’t u guys remember the great 05 gracing a ford sierra!?!?!
Hang on who has won Bathurst the last 3 years…FORD…maybe when Lowndes comes back Holden will win it again….and again sport is sport the drivers are there for the money not driving a certain make of car…i say good on Triple 8 for making the move and if Holden really wanted to keep Lowndes they would have coughed up the money…drivers and now teams are swapping left right and centre….Lowndes is still one of the best but even he isnt as good as he was but i would still have him in my team anyday….i just cant see poor Ford doing much anymore…maybe it will be a whole Holden show soon.
To all that are winging about Lowndes Jumping from Holden to Ford to Holden let me name a few more drivers for you.
Whincup, Ingall, Bargwanna, Richards, Radisich just to name a few.
Why don’t you guys give them a hard time too.
Craig went to ford as Holden wanted him to play second Fiddle to Skaife.
I think will be good to see them in a holden next year and if 888 Customers come over it will be the holden v8 supercars.
Hopefully CAMS/Avesco/Whoever runs the the Supertaxi’s will come to their senses and open the formula up - I want to see a new GT-R smashing the Holden and Fords back to the stoneage where they’re from!
Im the biggest Ford fan out, but Ford pushed the best thing that happen to them since Ambrose out the door, Im sooooo pissed at Ford and i hope they pull there head in before all the cars in the top 10 are Holden “again”
Al
why did you left the ford team you where my fav divers now your in holden why?
Al, if you watched the Ambrose doco on Sunday night; you’d know he left of his own accord - and was even driving for Ford in the USA..
Now I’m a true blue FORD boy none of this Vauxhall stuff for me but I must admit I’m gutted that FORD have let 888 go, have they got a brain to work with or do they just carry it around to show off. Finally they have a car that really performs and looks real smart and they can’t see that or are we all stupid
holden yes yes yes yes yes good on you triple 8
Oh well,now theres another Holden team too death ride next year.
Joe - Is that the GTR thats racing at Spa 24hr in RWD configuration and a V8,just like so called dinosaurs.lol
888 move is purely financial. If a factory is offering support, Dane is not going to turn it away. He is too much of a busienss man to knock back cash & cars. His team is geared for racing as long as it has 4 wheels and a v8 he doesn’t care what badge is on the front.
One thing to note is that how most supporters are passionate about the brand more than the drivers / teams. Very tribal and just shows how domestic racing is so different from F1. Love it.
When 888 cars start winning next year, it will undermine the pashion of this formula, the ford/holden rivalry. It will only prove that V8 supercars are really just sheet metal racing.
Go Stone Brothers Racing, hope Shane & that young fellow Daniel Gaint step up to the mark and keep the Blue Oval flags flying. I also see that Ambrose is driving a Toyota in Nascar now, so bring it on you Holden Freaks
I think the 888 team should keep driving for FORD forever
Well done to Roland Dane as other people have said, its for the money,why wouldn’t he jump ship if they are throwing cars at him for FREE ( Holden shells ).It doesn’t matter what badge is on Jamie’s car he will still look good wrapped in the CHEQUERED FLAG GO 888
Joe - I don’t think that you would see a Nissan GT-R [or at elast a factory backed GT-R on the track any time soon...
I say this because as you may or may not know Nissan recently pulled out of a 2 year contract they had with AVESCO to supply two GT-Rs which were to be used as the Pace Car/Safety Car..
The reason they pulled out was because Nissan refused to have 4 XXXX stickers on the cars [XXXX being a series sponsor]
So if they aren’t going to allow any Alcohol sponsors logos on the car along with the fact Tobacco sponsorship is also banned… where do you think they are going to get enough money to run 2 cars from…?
Bearing in mind that Freddie Gibson ; the man who ran the all conquering Winfield Racing GT-Rs has said that he doubts that he would have been able to race the GT-Rs in 93 as they were becoming to expensive to maintain etc
Not to mention the fact that one of the guidelines which form part of AVESCOs “Cars of the Future Program” the total cost to transform each car into a race car must not exceed $250k…
So when youre starting with a car that costs $150k you only have $100K left to fit a full body roll cage; gearbox; race brakes; race tuned suspension; dry fuel cell; air jacks; etc….
i am a big fan of t8 if the team wants to move they can it is still the same people but driving cars
i dont want them to move. they are great in ford but ford scrapped their sponsorship at the start of the sesaon so i agree ford/holden ford/holden it is a rough decision
Are ford crazy ? Letting their top team go to holden !!!
It’s sucks to see Craig Lowndes leave the blue oval let alone with 888 as Jamie’s wing man. It would of been cool to see Craig win a championship in a Ford v8supercar.
What ever v8supercar Craig drives in future he will be a hard man to pass.
Excellent ambassador for FORD and v8supercar series.
Ford fans don’t despair we still have Mark Winterbottom FPR- Shane van Gisbergen SBR- Steven Johnson, James Courtney JBR- Jason Bright Fujitsu Racing- Fabian Coulthard Wilson Security Racing and more.
Hard racer Ford Fan
Russel Ingall went from Holden to Ford to Holden. Wona V8 title with Ford went back to Holden and has hardly been seen since……except near the back of the grid! Just because 888 have gone to Holden doesnt mean they will still win. I am sure if they do then that idiot Walkinshaw will call them cheats again!!
It was only a matter of time before Roland Dane decided to switch to Holden after Ford withdrew their financial support for them. I have been a Lowndes supporter since he nearly pulled off a Bathurst victory back in 1994. Whatever the Triple 8 Racing team competes in, I will still be supporting them. Lowndes & Whincup are worthy champions and they deserve to be supported by a manufacturer who can throw their weight behind one of the most professional and successful teams in recent V8 Supercar history.
V8 Supercars are dying Ford want out Holden will follow. Go back to racing showroom models not hybrid misfits. Bring back Godzilla and blow them all off. Why do you think they are panicking and trying to approach other manufacturers now.Perfect scenario, Holden versus Holden Who Cares Bankruptcy to Follow.
I AM A TRUE FORD FAN FROM WAY BACK, FORD AUSTRALIA, YOU ASKED FOR THIS!
I AM A TRUE HOLDEN FAN FROM WAY BACK, HOLDEN AUSTRALIA YOURE A BUNCH OF SHIFTY THIEVING DOGS!
THE SAD DAY WILL BE IF DJR GOES TO HOLDEN.
IF IT WASN’T FOR DICK FORD WOULD HAVE LOST ALL ITS
FOLLOWERS TO HOLDEN.
FORD I HOPE YOU KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DOING.
Holden, you can have 888, you need a race win eventually. Courtney, Winterbottom, Van Gisbergen and Johnson are set to fire up in 2010
Did i mention Tander’s a Ford man? Only time will tell
I have to laugh at some of the comments about Lowndes and being a traitor. This is a sport and a business, Craig Lowndes is not a ‘Ford man’ or a ‘Holden Man’ he (and everyone else) are racing car drivers doing what it takes to win. V8 Supercar fans are basically on the same level of WWE Wrestling fans, they actually take the Holden/Ford brand loyalty SERIOUSLY. As someone said, for most normal people the Holden vs Ford thing died out along time ago.
Blue heart, I think you’d find that 2010 FIA GT spec Nissan GT-R which claimed a 3rd (in-class) win on the weekend at Spa may be a little teeny weeny bit more sophisticated than a V8 Supercar!
This FIA rule was put in place so you don’t have utter domination by turbo charged Porsches and Nissans.
Clever Ford, real clever. I hope this totally bites you on the behind. Loose arguably the best two drivers in the competition, it’s on your heads.
C’mon guys, this great sport we all love is is just about the spectical. Whats so wrong with sitting back with your mates and watching your favourite driver get out there and have a go? Does it matter who they drive for,really?. To me this great spotrt has been there through my whole live and i remember as a boy sitting up with my dad watching Bathurst,or whatever name it was called that year, and having a blast. Now, its the only real time we get together as a group of mates to share our passion for the sport. Yes some of us like Fords and some like Holdens,thats what makes it fun. So to all the haters, on both sides, just relax a little and enjoy some more.
true blue o7 gt owner sad 4 fd passionate ford supporter waybak but i owned hj hx hq as well went jap srapped it blu boy again last 6yrs njoyn the races top stuf ford vs holden rings a bell holden fans get over it n njoy the racing after all racings the winner at the end of the day n we njoy itz pleasures across the ditch kiwi follower thru n thru
Who knows if Tander does well in the upcoming enduros then She could end up with a Full-time seat next year with PCR - Now wouldn’t that be interesting?
Do not understand why ford would not sponsor triple 8 racing just makes no sence.It will be a big disappointment for ford fans and for the direction in which v8 supercars is going.There does not seem to be the passion that has brought it to where it is now which is what fans want to see.I can understand why triple 8 is switching camps but imagine if every team with out factory backing just spat the dummy and changed to other teams,the focus seems to be on money making which will kill the fan base due to lack of excitment.Bring back the the loyalty
hi my name is adam and i like trilple eight frod racing team cos they are the best and win all the time.
I been a ford fan for my whole life but ford so stupid they let jamie and lowde leave ford they going to loss me and Iam going to be a holden fan now, I even bought me self a vx commodore.
P.Brock would be spinning in his grave!!!!
What after he switched form hold to a ford himself (cosworth)…….cant blame Lowndes for repeating the same trick.