i think we’ll see him race an enduro or two at some point, but i guess it’s what happens behind the scenes…

I think Skaifey could come back as a full time driver, I would like to see that but it just depends on how much he misses it. Even if he doesn’t he will still do the enduros.

I think he will race something else.Aussie Racing Cars or one of the Main game supports.He will do enduro’s for sure.I don’t think he will come back and do full time racing though.

hmm not to sure there MP

i know Paul Morris has offered him a sprintcar drive.

he will race enduros only dint you hear him mac

i will c him at bathurst nxt year…hopefully!!!

?????? Who knows whats happening behind the scenes. I hope not. He’s retired from a full time main game drive. I hope it stays that way but I hope he drives something as well as the enduros.

We definately haven’t heard the last of Mark Skaife. He will be back.

The only time we will see Mark Skaife will be at the enduro’s, he has had one of the most succesfull carreers, 5 Bathursts & 5 Championships.
But he is not in the Zone that he used to be, he is a very smart man I am sure that he will be used in cometary & in promo adds but a full time come back I would doubt very much. He will make a perfect enduro partnes & I wouldnt mind betting that we see him & Glenn seton in one of the HRT cars come enduro time as they are good mates.

The way Mark was talking yesterday seems to me he is no certainty to hold onto his “director of racing’ or whatever is was, gig at HRT in 2009…..

Personally, I dont think he is finished as so many people think he is. Remove the stress and drama, let him focus properly on driving, and he would still be a very formidable competitor for any team. He may not come back full time, but i dont think it will be the last time we see the name M.Skaife on a V8 Supercar…

I don’t think so

I think Skaife/Seton will be racing a little more than just Supercars together next year… Look out in other categories for these two competing in teams together…

I also think Skaife will do some driver coaching for the younger guys, much like Seton does with D’Alberto.

Yes Corey, I did hear him.

I SAID
I HAVE A FEELING HE WILL COME BACK
AS IN FULL TIME.

I doubt it.

Think about it!(without your blue oval glasses on for a minute)

One of the greatest Toring car drivers of all time pulls the pin the same time as his business is failing.

He will be back in one way or another and to all of you who were critical of his performance of his last twelve months , have you forgotten that Craig Lowndes ( Your Saviour) still lives in the Shadow of Jamie Whincup after all this time.I still recall him being stuck in the wall at Bathurst in his first year with Ford and if everyone was brutally honest which I am Lowndes would be nowhere without Whincup.

Why is there not a page dedicated to Craig Lowndes’ poor performance?

Woah - harsh Shanec. As much as I am happy to point out to anyone that will listen that Craig has not won a championship since his time with HRT, I certainly would not critisize his driving. I have said on another thread that Craig showed fantastic form and consistency in the second half of last year, and if able to continue that on with the new car I expect to see him as a contender in the final rounds of the year.

Jamie had a good year, and so did Craig. Craig's performances were his own personal achievements and I expect more from him in the years to come.

And as far as saying that Craig would be nothing without Jamie, I would say Craig has been a bigger influence on Jamie. Jamie came into the team after some dissapointing experiences with Holden and found himself what I imagine was a valuable mentor. Not only as a driver, but how to play the PR game. Lowndsey learnt from Brock how to deal with the sponsors and the fans, and you can clearly see this influence in Jamie. I love all the drivers, but the T8 boys would be in a small group of drivers who really know how to play the PR game and look after their fans. And even before the perceived economic crisis, the way you treat and encourage your fans was nearly as important as the sponsors.
Now - I would consider them close to equal, however Craig will always have experience on his side. (but the gap is closing)

It's easy to remember a small incident and associate it with the driver's entire performance. Especially in the last few years. Due to the similiarity between the cars (bloody project blueprint) and the advancement in technology, these cars are running at speeds that are so close together you need to measure the top 10 shootouts by .01 of a second. As a result the drivers have to push the cars as far as they can, and they will occasionally cross that line and become 'stuck in the wall'. Considering how hard the cars are pushed, the drivers are probably frustratingly influenced by envrionmental factors more than they were in the past.

I agree with what I believe is your underlying sentiment, that Skaifey left before his time was up. We see it time and again; when a driver takes a share in the team they are racing they often start to lose their focus and edge. I desperately wish that Skaifey can come back in the enduro's and show us the form he had before the Walkinshaw debacle.

So are you saying its ok to have waited this long (as a ford fan) for Craig to show some consistency and what some would say reasonable results for a driver of his EXPERIENCE?

If Craig had some results on the board wit Ford prior to Jamies championship performance then i would agree?

PIease I do not underestimate Craigs ability but would you have given anyone else this long to come close to the second driver of the team?

We know that Courtney was not given the same leniancy and yes he did not have past performances in his favour but in reality neither does Lowndes up until as you said the last half of how many seasons away from HRT?
I admire Craig and his ability and his PAST performances so to clarify i am not using this thread to criticise Lowndes.

Shanec, when rick won his championship who was runner up . 3 bathurst did jamie drive by himself?
With project blueprint ,we see skaife for what he really is just a top 10 driver ,no where near the best out there.

Despite my love for Bathurst and everyone else’s the championship is what counts yes?

Project blueprint will be a distant memory this year with the release of the FG your fellow Ford teams have confirmed that it will not be up to the standard straight out of the box ,as one would expect!

What do you call the best out there I dont believe that one driver is the best there are too many determining factors?

Top ten as you said would you see any driver included in the best imo! That includes Skaife if we go by your theory.

I cannot believe some of the statements that are basically saying that Craig hasn’t achieved much since coming to Ford.
Yes it took 4 to 5 years for Craig to get settled into the right team in T8, so since being at T8 he came very close to winning the Championship in 06 & he basically had it in the bag but ( Sorry to all the Holden fans ) Holden showed there true colors & I believe Rick deliberately took him out, so in my opinion Very close to winning a championship in 06 & he has won a number of races also the last three Bathurst’s so for anybody to call Craigs tallent into question clearly doesnt know what they are talking about.
I am sorry to be so blunt but the fact is he is known as one of V8Supercars most talented drivers.

Plus this topic is supposed to be about if Mark Skaife will make a comeback.