Former champion Russell Ingall will reach another milestone in his career this weekend when the Supercheap Auto Racing man makes his 150th ATCC/V8 Supercar Championship start.
Ingall made his championship debut at Eastern Creek Raceway in 1996 - the same venue for this weekend's event - having landed a fulltime drive with Larry Perkins' then Castrol team after the pair won Bathurst together the previous year.
The 44 year old now ranks eighth on the all-time ATCC/V8 starting list, with only John Bowe (225), Peter Brock (212), Glenn Seton (205), Dick Johnson and Mark Skaife (202), Tony Longhurst (190) and former boss Perkins (160) ahead.
Ingall has twelve round wins and 22 podium finishes, along with two Bathurst 1000 victories and a Sandown 500 title to his credit. Four times previously a series runner-up (1998, 99, 01, 04), the former Stone Brothers Racing man won the V8 Supercar Championship in 2005.
"I've had such a good time and it's all gone by so quick that I would never have guessed I was up to 150 starts," he said. “Winning the championship in 2005 was obviously the pinnacle of my career to date. It's the number one priority in any driver's career, something we all strive for and I haven't given up hope on repeating it again.
"But the true highlight has been the opportunity I've had to race not only in the current era, but also against the sport's greats. From that perspective, I think my timing has been perfect.
"Racing against legends such as Brock, Johnson, Perkins and Jim Richards was incredible; they are true icons of the sport and to rub panels with them was great. It's also just as exciting to compete against Skaife and Craig Lowndes today. V8 Supercars has never been more competitive than what it is now and that's what continues to motivate me."
Although involved in his fair share of controversy, Ingall added he has no regrets about his career has panned out.
"If you go through a competitive career without being involved in something controversial, then you're either boring or not trying hard enough - it's all about pushing the boundaries," he said. "When I'm finished I'll have made my mark and still have plenty of memories."
