WHEN Triple Eight Race Engineering decided to expand their presence on the Supercars grid in 2016 from two cars to three, they knew their already strong presence in the championship could be taken to another level.
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But to find their three drivers – Shane van Gisbergen, Jamie Whincup and Craig Lowndes – occupying the top three in the drivers’ championship ahead of the Bathurst 1000 is still a remarkable effort.
Having made the switch from TEKNO Autosports, van Gisbergen currently leads the championship in his Red Bull Racing Commodore.
Six-times drivers’ champion Whincup is seven points behind in second while Lowndes, who races under the Team Vortex badge, is a further 150 points back in third.
Lowndes said the trio and their respective crews have worked hard to find the success they have enjoyed. Between them they have posted 10 wins and another 17 podiums.
“There is no doubt that year has gone pretty much to plan,” Lowndes said.
“We have had some challenges and had some ups and downs, but for me it is obviously great still to be in the mix for it after starting out with a new team in Team Vortex.
“There is no doubt that over these last few months we have come together more closely. We have had some issues to overcome, expanding to three cars has been a challenge and our process of how we go through that – things like debriefs at race tracks with the Red Bull guys – we’ve had to massage and find better ways, which we’ve been able to do.”