Mark Skaife has revealed his last ever V8 Supercar appearance will be tinged with some sadness as he bids farewell to the series that has seen him score 40 wins over the course of 214 rounds.
Skaife, whose career has spanned 22 seasons, is the most successful driver of the V8 Supercar era, with his five title triumphs, five Bathurst 1000 wins and three Australian drivers' championships helping him go down in Australian folklore.
Now, though, has come the time for him to retire from full-time driving duties, with Skaife deciding that Oran Park, which is also hosting its last-ever event, is the right time for him to depart as still one of the best.
“There are parts of this weekend that I can foresee are going to be difficult, it's always tough when you're saying goodbye to something that has been such a massive part of your life for so long,” he said.
“But equally I'm looking forward to going out there and saying thanks to all of my fans and to my crew in the best way I can. I'm honoured and humbled by all the support I've had over my career and especially since I announced my retirement, so I'm certainly going to enjoy that side of it.
“A lot of my family and friends are going to be attending this weekend and Oran Park has been a pretty special place for me and for the Holden Racing Team in years gone by, so it's fitting that this is where it ends.”
“I've always said that I don't really pay much attention to the record books, that's what retirement's for. It's important to close one chapter in the life of M. Skaife and move on to the next challenge, and that's what this weekend is about for me.”
Oran Park is an appropriate venue for Skaife's final race as it will go down in history as one of his most successful circuits having won four consecutive rounds between 1999 and 2002.
