Team 18 celebrates Winterbottom’s 600th race

Team 18 will run a special number and livery on Mark Winterbottom’s Chevrolet Camaro for his 600th race start at the Perth SuperSprint.

Winterbottom will become the third driver in Supercars’ history to make his 600th race start, behind Craig Lowndes and Garth Tander. The Camaro’s livery features the traditional black and yellow colours of DEWALT, with a sticker on the rear-quarter panel paying tribute to Winterbottom’s milestone race, while the team has changed Winterbottom’s race number from 18 to 600 for the event.

Through 599 races, Winterbottom has amassed 38 race wins, 117 podium finishes, and 36 pole positions, including the Bathurst 1000 in 2013 and the campionship in 2015.

“I go to Perth trying to get a result, that’s what I go there for, but I think we’ve got a good opportunity,” said Winterbottom.

“We’re going okay at the moment and I think as the year goes on we’re going to get better and better.

“I’m also aware that, 600 race starts is something I’m pretty proud of. To be in the game for such a long time and have people believe in you, sponsors, team owners, and the crew around you and all that sort of side is a pretty special moment.

“I’ll be very grateful when that 600th race starts, but I’ll enjoy it even more if we get a good result.

“I think the Grand Prix result-wise was a bad weekend. But I look at the positives and I think, we’re very fast, we topped practice, we’re very fast in qualifying. We were a bit unlucky with weather, but we were top five pace in qualifying and most sessions we went out.

“We got beaten up a bit, but the goal is to go to Perth, use what we’ve done well, fix what we didn’t do well, and work for a result.

“I’m really in sync with the car, which is a good feeling. I think, I was quite disconnected from the previous car where this one, I really know what I want and what I’m after.

“It’s very clear to me where our weakness is and we’ve got a great group of guys and girls that are working hard trying to fix that weakness. So it’s not like the old car where you had to develop something, we’ve all got the same tools underneath us. I think a qualifying car is close for me from the last round, but the race car is our focus.”