Lowndes wins class in Finke Desert Rally
Former triple Supercars champion and multiple Bathurst victor adds another trophy to his cabinet
Seven-time Bathurst 1000 winner and triple Supercars champion, Craig Lowndes, has taken the outright victory in the Production class of the Tatts Finke Desert Rally behind the wheel of his Supercheap Auto Racing Chevrolet Silverado ZR2.
Lowndes and co-driver Dale Moscatt battled brutal road conditions to power home to Alice Springs on the weekend and win the class, which alluded them back in 2024.
“It’s great to come here and get redemption after 2024 and win the Production class in the Supercheap Auto Racing Silverado at the 50th running of Finke,” Lowndes said.
“A lot of work has been done to the Silverado this time around with Rampex and GM and it was absolutely perfect and really solid this time around.
“With how tough conditions were this year Dale and I knew we had to make it to the finish first and foremost, so it’s a real credit to the entire team to make such a strong truck to conquer these conditions.
“We had an absolute blast at the event this year and we’re looking forward to celebrating tonight as a team,” Lowndes added.
The Finke Desert Race is widely regarded as one of the most demanding off-road races in Australia and is now an event Lowndes can notch another motorsport win at.
The Supercheap Auto Racing Chevrolet Silverado ZR2 carried the #715, a nod to the #15, which was the first full-time number for Lowndes, who duly raced it to championship victory in the 1996 Supercars Championship, and he will return to the number in 2026 with the Supercheap Auto Wildcard program with Team 18 at this year’s Supercars endurance races.
Chris Payne, General Manager Chevrolet Racing, said the result highlighted the authenticity of Chevrolet’s performance and off-road story.
“This is a statement result for Chevrolet Racing and for the Silverado ZR2,” said Payne.
“Finke is the ultimate test of durability, engineering and driver commitment, and to come away with a Production class win is something the whole team can be proud of, in particular the dedicated group of GM ANZ employees who supported the program at a technical level.”
“The Silverado ZR2 has proven itself in one of Australia’s harshest off-road environments, and that is a powerful demonstration of the capability built into this vehicle.”
