Bathurst 1000 Marks 20 Years Since Peter Brock's Death

Craig Lowndes is drawing on memories of Australian motorsport legend Peter Brock to fuel his 33rd attempt at the Bathurst 1000, a event that this year marks 20 years since Brock's tragic death.

Lowndes, a long-time protege of Brock and seven-time Bathurst 1000 winner, will line up for his bid at claiming the holy grail of Australian motorsport with the number 15 Team 18 wildcard, shared with Super2 racer Bayley Hall.

A Legacy Lives On

"I'm somewhat gone full circle," Lowndes said today.

"Bayley, we did a track walk the other day, and I literally recalled everything that Peter taught me; from Turn 1, from Hell Corner, all the way around to Murray's Corner."

"For me, I'm hopefully passing on that legacy in some way … it is a milestone year. There's no doubt about that."

Lowndes remembers Brock's counsel on the track's 23 corners, including advice like doing all your braking over Skyline or looking for the kink on the inside of the Elbow for your turn-in point.

Remembering Peter Brock

"Peter was more than just a teammate," Lowndes said.

"His legacy will live on forever. He was bigger than the sport in some regards."

"He was just very much a person that could capture people's attention, hold their attention, but also inspire them for greatness."

"Those are the parts that I miss 20 years on."

Lowndes recalled an emotional Bathurst 1000 win with Jamie Whincup just weeks after Brock's death in 2006.

A Tribute and a New Generation

"History shows that the gap at the end of the day was 0.5, and that was Brock's number for a long time," Lowndes said.

Whincup added: "The minute's silence, I'll never forget that."

"You generally got someone on the hill yell out or whatnot, but that day, even the birds stopped chirping."

"It was my first (Bathurst) win for the team and a memory that I'll take to the grave."

Whincup won't be on the grid for the first time since his 2002 debut, making way for Nick Percat to link up with title contender Broc Feeney.