Skaife overwhelmed by support

Holden Racing Team’s Mark Skaife was given a fitting farewell to his Touring Car career before recouping 15 places in his last ever fulltime race.
The five-time Bathurst and Touring Car/V8 Champion was given a parade lap around the Oran Park circuit in a Holden Commodore ute which was followed with a presentation on the grid.

“When I got to the grid a lot of my friends and family come out and my wife (Toni) and Mitch my son came up and Toni started to cry and that was the end for me,” he recounted.

Skaife said he was also emotional on the grid of his final ever race.

“I almost needed wipers inside my helmet,” he admitted.

Skaife said he was blown away by the support from the crowd.

“It takes your whole career for Ford fans to wave at you and say ‘well done’,” he laughed.

“So it was very, very nice and I felt very humbled and flattered; the response was just fantastic.”

Skaife had DNFed the earlier two races of the weekend, but after his tribute he fired on all cylinders and finished race three in 12th, gaining 15 places over the course of the race.

“I was having a ball,” he explained.

“Jamie (Whincup) was behind me and we were having a great battle with a lot of the guys in the middle of the field.

“It was really good.

“Nothing’s better, and I’m sure I speak for all of the guys here, there’s nothing better than being in a race car and doing what we do… just going and driving the car as hard as you can, there’s nothing better than that,” he said at the post-event press conference.

Supercheap Auto’s Paul Morris also decided this weekend would be his last fulltime drive with V8 Supercars so he could concentrate on running the team.

However his outlook was in stark contrast to Skaife’s.

“It’s only a car race, isn’t it? There are other things to do and enjoy,” he said.

Morris said it was hard to be an owner, driver and a V8 Supercars Australia board member, but that he was still passionate about the sport.

“(I will) put a bit of time into it (being a board member) next year and move the team up to where we can win a Championship… probably hang around the pits and do what I do and be in the car for the enduros,” he said when asked what his plans were for next year.