V8
Supercar rookie Brad Lowe will step up this weekend driving in the final Fujitsu V8 Supercar round at
Oran Park, Sydney. The 23 year old will sub for SEVEN TV presenter Grant Denyer who is still recovering
from a serious back injury incurred during a monster truck promo run in September. Grant had to miss the
Bathurst 1000 and is still facing many weeks in rehabilitation.
Lowe received the call up from team
owner Matthew White after impressive times in testing recently, and the Oran Park hit out will be a teaser
for a full season with the team next year in the newly acquired Ford Performance Racing Falcons.
At 18, the rookie started racing V8 Dirt modifieds, MG Series, Aussie Racing Cars and Formula Fords before
signing on as the rookie test driver in the Ford Rising Stars programme, of which Grant Denyer was a contracted
driver for the V8 Enduro’s.
“We are keen to see Brad do well this weekend, and believe
he has the right stuff for a full attack on the series in 2009,” explained team manager Matthew
White.
“He was quick and consistent at our recent Winton test, and as Grant has proven twice
this year, the car is capable of winning.”
The Summit/Playstation V8 Supercar will be on display
at Dick Smith Electronics Campbelltown Macarthur store this week, with a lucky race fan winning a hot
lap around Oran Park and a Playstation PS3 complete with Gran Turismo 5 Prologue.
Listeners to
Merrick. Rosso and Kate on Nova FM in Sydney will also get the chance to win a hot lap this week plus
Playstation console and games simply by listening to Nova.
“I can’t even say he has
big shoes to fill – not with my tiny size 7’s, however I do wish him the best of luck this
weekend and hope he has a good strong run.” Grant explained. “While I am chomping at the bit
to get back in the car, I know Brad will look after our key partners Summit Fleet Leasing/Sony Playstation/Dick
Smith Electronics/Just Cuts and Ford, all who have been absolutely rock solid in their support while I
have been confined to endless hours of Oprah and Dr Phil. I know Brad will represent them well at Oran
Park’s final V8 Supercar round.”
The final round of the Fujitsu series will be run over
3 races at Oran Park and televised on the SEVEN Network on Sat December 13 at 1pm.
Brad Lowe was born on October 5th
1985. At the tender age of 3 he began his dream of driving cars. Although not racing his first car till
the age of 18 he grew up driving and gaining experience in many machines and cars. Growing up Brad did
a lot of work for his father, proving he was capable of driving every machine and vehicle “Lowe
Earthmoving” owned, by the age of 10.
At the age of 12 Brad found he had a talent for athletics
namely shot-put, discus, javelin and his specialty hammer throw. For the next 6 years Brad trained with
some of Australia’s best coaches and was invited to join one of Australia’s elite sports schools.
Brad won many state and national title including coming 4th at the Junior o\Olympics against the world’
s best.
During this time Brad father had been building and racing V8 Dirt Modifieds and at 18 was
old enough to start racing himself. In his first race Brad impressed all by coming from the back to surprisingly
win, this starting off his dream. He continued to impress in his Dirt Modified winning his first 6 races
straight and in that year claiming the rookie driver of the year award. It was during this first year
of speedway that an introduction to icon Ian Luff, that Brad started his push towards road racing. Apart
from his father’s V8 Dirt Modified, Brad also drove in the AMCA Nationals, competed in the MG Series
and the HQ Holden Series, drove a Nissan Super tourer in the Touring Car Challenge and also drove in the
Lotus Challenge. He posted wins in 5 of the 6 classes he competed in that year.
In 2005 Brad decided
to take the next step. The Australian National Formula Ford Series and the Aussie Racing Car Series are
2 of the most hotly contested series in Australia. At his first attempt, Brad qualified his Formula Ford
on pole, a feat which had not been done by a rookie state driver before. So impressed were V8 Supercar
team WPS Racing, that he was invited to test one of the WPS V8 Supercars at Queensland Raceway. Although
only getting a handful of laps his maturity and driving ability impressed the team.
2006 and 2007
were spent contesting the National Formula Ford Series, although a lack of luck, in what was the most
competitive field seen in years, put a dampener on what had been a stellar career to date. At the end
of 07 Brad was approached by Justin Cotter of Synergy Motorsport, this cementing Brads most promising
year in motor racing, 2008.
Through Synergy Motorsport, Brad was contacted by V8 Supercar team owner
Jim Morton (Ford Rising Stars Racing) and had been asked to be involved with the team as their team rookie.
With the alliance of Synergy Motorsport and Ford Rising Stars Racing and also the faith of team bosses
Justin Cotter and Jim Morton, Brad has been contracted to race Formula Ford in a brand new 2008 Spectrum
011c and be FRSR rookie test driver in their FPR prepared BF supercar.
In 2009 Brad’s aim
is to move into the Fujitsu V8 Supercar series.
