Bathurst great Skaife quits V8s

[SlickHolden]

Mark Skaife Retires.

Mark Skaife looks certain to be lured into the occasional cameo appearance at Bathurst despite waving the chequered flag on one of Australian motor sport's greatest careers.
An emotional Skaife came close to breaking down several times as he announced he would retire from fulltime V8 Supercar driving at the end of the season.
Skaife, who has won more Australian touring car rounds than any other driver, claimed five Bathurst 1000s and five championships in a career which started in a Nissan Gazelle in 1987.
With fellow V8 champions including Craig Lowndes and Garth Tander looking on, Skaife admitted his enjoyment and commitment to driving had wavered recently, and he eventually made a final decision to quit last week.
"I've got to say I'm not enjoying it as much as I once was," Skaife admitted.
"Driving, although it's such a great team sport, it's also such a personal one. There's so much about being in the car by yourself and driving it ... you do it with incredible passion and incredible commitment.
"I can honestly say my commitment's not where it has been."
Skaife has endured a difficult season despite sitting in the top half of the championship, and will end his fulltime career at Sydney's Oran Park in December.
But the 41-year-old wouldn't rule out an occasional return to compete at Bathurst in the future - just like two of his mentors Peter Brock and Jim Richards had done following their fulltime driving retirements.
And he also left the door open to try his hand at other categories of racing.
"This is just a step back from fulltime driving," Skaife said.
"It will be a little bit of how I miss driving the car next year and whether I have a desire to jump back in the car.
"There will be times next year when I have itchy feet and want to jump back aboard.
"But in terms of endurance driving, at this point, I haven't made any decision about it."
Skaife has spent more than a decade as Holden's highest-profile driver as part of the Holden Racing Team, and ranks alongside the late, great Brock as one of the finest Australian touring car drivers ever.
After winning a championship with Nissan in 1992, he moved to Holden in 1993 once the category became V8 Supercars and won the championship in 1994 with Gibson Motorsport.
His name became synonymous with Holden once he joined HRT in 1997 and went on to dominate V8 racing in the early part of this decade.
Skaife's career peak came during a remarkable 2002 season, in which he won the first five rounds of the year and seven of the 13 - including the Bathurst 1000 - on route to a third successive title.
He was also a central figure in two of the most infamous moments in Australian motorsport.
When Skaife and Richards teamed to win Bathurst in 1992 in controversial circumstances in a Nissan Skyline, they were roundly booed by Holden and Ford fans, prompting Richards to label the mob "a pack of arseholes".
Skaife was also involved in the "race rage" incident at Eastern Creek in 2003, in which he angrily waved his fist trackside at rival Russell Ingall after he had been forced off the road, prompting Ingall to swerve his car towards his Holden rival.
Skaife, who will concentrate on his off-track role with HRT in the near future as well as spend more time with wife Toni and children Mitch, Mia and Tilly, admits he has only one nagging regret in his glittering career.
"I have to be honest and say I am disappointed I never made it into Formula One," said Skaife, who had driven open-wheelers with much success early in his driving career.
"On the other hand I know once I recognised we couldn't do that, what I tried to was make the most of what we did in this country.
"In terms of regrets from a domestic standpoint, I haven't got any."

Arguably the most successful touring car driver in Australian history.

Skaife’s list of achievements is unsurpassed in Australian motor sport, with a record-equalling five Australian Touring Car/V8 Supercar Championships (tied with Ian Geoghegan and Dick Johnson), five Bathurst 1000 titles and a record 40 Australian Touring Car/V8 Supercar Championship round victories. He also has three consecutive Australian Drivers’ Championships (1991-93).

[AERO_HDT]

One of my favourite Holden drivers of all time his finally done the right thing. It has been quite clear that he hasn't had the focus of years past and has lost the raw edge that he used to have.

He'll be missed, I had always thought that he'd plough on searching for his mojo again, but it looks like he's done the right thing and taken a step back.

I hear they're looking for a replacement for Matty "I'd rather drive a scooter" White....

[Birdman]

Well, I knew he had to retire eventually. I'm going to miss watching him race but this season, he's never really looked like he was on form at all.

[clutch-monkey]

yeah, i'd get bored racing cardboard cutouts too

[fpv_gtho]

I'm not Skaife's biggest fan, but its sad to see him go, especially in these circumstances.

[whiteballz]

what circumstances?

[fpv_gtho]

The big unconfirmed rumour is Walkinshaw's forcing him out and also taking his 50% ownership, thus once again owning 100% of HRT. Some people are really starting to believe Skaife only ever owner HRT on paper whilst Walkinshaw ran away from his TWR creditors.

[whiteballz]

so its all abit iffy?

[fpv_gtho]

Its all a bit iffy when it comes to Walkinshaw. Nobody's made any official claims though about whats happening behind the scenes, so its all just well placed speculation

[Daz27]

It was all a bit iffy right from the start though. Holden couldn't own the factory team (or any other for that matter), there wasnt any one else around that logically could take ownership of the team at the time remembering that it was such a massive rush job to secure its tenure. Im betting Skaifey didnt even have the cash to buy the thing in the first place and the team was bought from the TWR's creditors using Holden money with ownership transferred for $1 to Skaifey on the proviso he signs it all back over to Uncle Tom when he digs himself out of the poopoo for a tidy sum at the end for his efforts.
I can't see Skaife being pushed out of the team, the guy still is a top flite touring car driver and if he was being pushed he would more likely have gone elsewhere and drove than retired. Assuming he isnt being paid NOT to drive of course.
Anyway, Congrats to you Skaifey if you ever read this.
Footnote. “Mark has had an enormous impact on the development of the V8 Supercar series and will be remembered for his contribution to the sport and the auto industry in this country for many years to come,” Craig Wilson said.

“We wish him well for the future and pay tribute to his record of achievement.”

Tom Walkinshaw said he had no doubt Mark Skaife would seamlessly transition to the next stage of his life.

“If he applies himself to his career, post motor racing, with the same passion and determination that he has shown so far, I am sure that he will continue to have great success,” Tom Walkinshaw said.

“I personally thank Mark for everything he has contributed to the Holden Racing Team.”
Reading this extract from the press release by Walkinshaw it could certainly be assumed that Mark has been shoved instead being allowed to jump...

[Daz27]

Jason Bright has merged his operation with SBR to form a 3 car 'superteam' as the various news sites are calling it. Im tipping instant success next year for Brighty, as I dont think Courtney or Van Hellsing or whatever his name were upto it last year and years prior. I guess there will be another license on the market with the Irwin tools car no longer apparantly to be run by Britek. Possibly will be picked up by Paul Cruickshank.

[fpv_gtho]

van Gisbergen will come on strong in a few years, its important to remember hes still a teenager.

[Daz27]

youre like my own personal spellcheck/dictionary/history book. If I ever need to know anything I just type something random in here and you give me the answer. Thanks little buddy.