Lowndes Aims To Break The Win Drought At Ipswich

It's been a while since Craig Lowndes won a race.

In fact, the last time the sport's most successful driver topped the Virgin Australia Supercars Championship podium was on Sunday at last year's Coates Hire SuperSprint.

So it seems fitting - if long overdue - for Lowndesy to get the monkey off his back at Queensland Raceway this weekend.

Having won 12 times at the track and racked up 15 podiums, the Team Vortex driver has a better chance than many, but is he worried?

“I don’t think about that. You could go further and ask when was my last pole position too," Lowndes told Supercars.com.

“We just go out there and do the best we can each weekend."

“If that’s a podium, fantastic. If it’s a pole, even better. But we don’t stop trying."

The last time Lowndes wore his trademark smile on a podium was at the following Sydney Motorsport Park event last August.

But if anyone's philosophical, it's Lowndesy.

“It just shows the competition is very strong and healthy. There’s no doubt each team has their moment in the spotlight."

“I think DJR Team Penske is in that moment and there’s no doubt they’re the cars to beat.

“We’ve got to work as hard as anyone else to make sure the car is suited to the conditions on the weekend, but it does give us confidence knowing in the past the track has been kind to us."

Lowndes' big shunt at Phillip Island

After a rocky start to the season, Lowndes is confident they've sorted this year's package and can take the fight to the Shell cars.

But he knows it won't be easy.

“Everyone is expecting us to do well because it’s our test track, but don’t forget it’s DJR Team Penske’s test track as well.

“They’re going to be hard to beat at the same time, but we’re working very hard behind the scenes.

“It is something for us, where having that healthy competition between other teams definitely keeps us on our toes and keeps us thinking outside the square.”

Or the paperclip, as Queensland Raceway is referred to by some for its layout.

If there's anything Lowndes can take heart from, it's the improving pace of the sister cars in the neighbouring Red Bull garage.

“There’s no doubt we take confidence out of the success we’ve had in the other two cars."

Now he'll be hoping some of that magic rubs off on the Team Vortex Commodore.

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