Lowndes Proud After Rally Win
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Lowndes Proud After Rally Win

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By Shannons - 25 February 2013
Time machine, the replica of the 1953 entry retraces in French villages 60 years later.

Craig Lowndes joined Team Australia  to conquer the 2013 running of the Monte Carlo Historic Rally, with the squad’s FX Holden re-enacting the journey completed by the first Holden ever used  in an international motorsport event in 1953.

Teamed with Richard Davison and Gary Poole, the squad departed from Glasgow on January 25th, tracing the route originally taken by Lex Davison (four-time Australian Grand Prix winner, father of Richard and grandfather of V8 Supercar drivers Will and Alex Davison), Stan Jones (winner of the Australian Grand Prix and father of F1 Champion Alan Jones), and Tony Gaze (World War II flying ace and former Grand Prix driver).

The six day 3200km near non-stop event saw 314 cars from the period between 1955 and 1980 converge in Monte Carlo after starting in Glasgow, Barcelona, Reims and Copenhagen, with the Holden receiving a cup from the Auto Club de Monaco for the oldest machine to successfully finish the rally.

The other Team Australia members were Darren Nicholson and Bob Dugan in a 1979 VB Commodore, a replica of the Repco trials car of that era. The VB also completed the long trek to Monte Carlo.

On arrival into the tiny Principality, the team was welcomed by Hon Catherine Fautrier, Australian Ambassador from Monaco who had arranged access to the Princes Palace for photographs to replicate the one taken there 60 years earlier and joined the Team for the Gala dinner and prize awards.

The event was held largely on icy, snow covered roads, with several of the latter stages taken straight from the World Rally Championship Monte Carlo Rally, which was held a week earlier.

The rally wasn’t without its problems for the crew, with persistent wheel bearing issues testing the team’s creative repair skills, with vintage Holden spare parts in short supply throughout southern France.

"To cross the finishing ramp at 3:30 in the morning was one of the proudest moments in my career," Lowndes said. "It’s a tribute to the entire team that we have been able to complete the event, and pay tribute to our Formula 1 drivers who achieved this feat 60 years ago"The roads in the rally were just incredible, covered in snow and ice, with no barriers and sheer drops at the edge of the road. "Coming face-to-face with a snow plough as we were belting around a corner, as well as dealing with snow covering our headlights, was some of the new experiences we encountered.”

By the conclusion of the gruelling event a total of 62 of the 314 starters had fallen by the wayside.

Prior to the start, team members travelled to Finland to visit Ranuo Aaltonen and his family for some ice and snow driving theory and practical lessons. Rauno is a former Monte Carlo Rally winner and Bathurst champion.

After the event the teams travelled back via Paris to also capture some of the 1953 images again. They were welcomed by Hon Ric Wells, Australian French Ambassador, who hosted the team at the Embassy near the Eiffel Tower.

Shannons was extremely proud to be associated with this historic recreation of Australia's first involvement in the Monte Carlo Rally. “I am sure motoring enthusiasts across the country will congratulate the exploits of Craig, Richard, and Gary’s entire team," Shannons Executive Manager for Marketing, Mark Behr said.

Aaltonen's
Team Australia
On the road
Thumbs up with Monaco's ambassador at the palace
Paris