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Triple Eight and Ford through the years

By Thomas Miles

Date posted: 31 January 2025

While being GM’s Supercars spearhead for the last 15 years, Triple Eight has a proud history representing Ford as well that is about to grow.

In 2026 Triple Eight will make a shock return to Ford, taking over the brand’s homologation duties from DJR and Tickford.

Since 2010 the team has been GM’s most successful team and homologated the Chevrolet Gen3 Camaro.

But before then Triple Eight enjoyed plenty of success representing the “Blue Oval” where it grew from a rookie to a powerhouse, recording its first 53 of 262 wins, a hat-trick of Bathurst 1000 wins and two championships.

2003

Paul Radisich rides the kerb at Sandown on Triple Eight debut, Image: LAT

The world of Aussie V8Supercars was hit with a British Invasion ahead of the Sandown 500 where Roland Dane brought his BTCC winning Triple Eight empire down under.

At the first Sandown 500 since 1998, it was announced Dane had purchased the battling Briggs Motorsport operation.

Prior to that Briggs Motorsport had just two top fives across the 2003 season, both achieved by Paul Radisich.

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Under the new leadership, Radisich made an immediate impression, finishing a dramatically wet race in seventh with Swede Rickard Rydell.

Radisich carried on leading the team from the front, finishing seven of the nine Triple Eight races in the top 10 to finish 10th in the championship.

2004

Triple Eight teammates Paul Radisich and Max Wilson in action at Sydney. Image: Mark Horsburgh/LAT Photographic

In its first full season in charge, Triple Eight immediately made its mark with the livery.

Gone was the more simple yellow Briggs Motorsport look, in favour of the dark blue and iconic lighting like Betta Electrical livery.

Brazilian Max Wilson replaced Dean Canto with Kiwi Radisich retained, but the team struggled for results.

Despite a Pukekohe podium, Radisich fell to 19th in the standings, while Wilson had a run of retirements and was 28th.

But good times were on the horizon as the biggest impact Triple Eight made was off track.

Dane’s vision was clear and enough to entice Craig Lowndes away from Ford’s flagship FPR to Triple Eight.

2005

Craig Lowndes and Yvan Muller win the Betta Electrical Sandown 500 in the Team Betta Electrical Ford Falcon BA Image: Mark Horsburgh/LAT Photographic

With a refreshed driver line up spearheaded by Lowndes, Triple Eight was a force to be reckoned with as soon as the lights went out in 2005.

The Triple Eight doubters were silenced in the very first round as Lowndes stood on the podium in both races of the Clipsal 500.

It was not until round four when the big moment came, the first win.

Lowndes drove the team to its breakthrough glory at Eastern Creek, getting both the maiden race and round win in Triple Eight’s 23rd attempt.

For Lowndes, it was sweet vindication for his move and relief after enduring two tough years since his sole win at FPR back in 2003.

For Dane there was little focus on celebrating as it was just the start.

“This is the end of the beginning for us if you like, but now we have to keep the pressure up,” Dane said.

“We beat everyone on the day, no one dropped out among the front runners. We were on pole, our strategy was superior when we beat SBR in the pits. It is a real boost.”

After returning to the top step in a single race weekend at Queensland Raceway, Lowndes and Triple Eight hit their straps.

The #888 only finished two of the last 14 races outside the top 10 with one of them the infamous windscreen removal at Bathurst.

But more importantly six victories, including a stunning finish in the Sandown 500, propelled Lowndes to second in the championship and Triple Eight was on its way.

2006

Jamie Whincup and Craig Lowndes lift the Peter Brock trophy for the first time in 2006.

Boosted by a stunning 2005 campaign and the arrival of a young star, Triple Eight had overtaken SBR as Ford’s spearhead.

In Lowndes’ best season since his last championship in 1999, he finished second best to Rick Kelly in agonising fashion amid a thrilling title fight.

The #888 had the momentum of winning the Phillip Island finale opener, only for a clash with Todd Kelly to end his dream.

But Lowndes still owned the most memorable moment of the 2006 season.

Fuelled by emotion following the tragic loss of his mentor Peter Brock, Lowndes produced the race of his life to fend off Rick Kelly and win the most meaningful Great Race of all time.

With tears flooding down his face, Lowndes was fittingly the first driver to lift the Peter Brock Trophy.

In addition to the obvious emotion, Lowndes was also delighted to break a Bathurst drought for both driver and manufacturer with the “Kid”s last 1996 and Ford’s 1998.

“As he (Brock) always used to say when it never used to go right, its character building,” Lowndes smiled.

“But definitely my attitude and approach is very much related to what Peter was all about.

“Roland actually asked me to smile and cheer up and I said ‘don’t worry I am very happy.”

The young driver who shared the glory with him was new teammate Jamie Whincup.

Triple Eight took a risk by backing a young driver who had previously finished no higher than 16th in the championship.

The gamble paid off instantly as Whincup memorably won on Triple Eight debut on the streets of Adelaide, a day after Lowndes took the season opener.

2007

Garth Tander squeezed ahead of Jamie Whincup in the fight for the 2007 Supercars title.

After playing second fiddle to Lowndes in 2006, Whincup proved why he was the top emerging talent on the grid.

The youngster rose out of Lowndes’ shadow and stood on the podium 11 times before he and Lowndes did the enduro double at Sandown and Bathurst to rise to the top.

Despite standing on the podium in each of the last six races, Whincup fell an agonising two points short to Garth Tander in another titanic tussle with HSV Dealer Team at Phillip Island.

Lowndes still had plenty of highlights as well, producing a clutch performance in a pressure-packed final stint at Bathurst to fend off James Courtney and Steven Johnson who all finished within a second.

The season was also the first that Triple Eight changed from Betta Electrical blue to the Vodafone day glow.

2008

Jamie Whincup was in a league of his own in 2008. Image: mark Horsburgh

Determined by the near miss, Whincup showed the skills that has made him become the “GOAT” and charged his way to the first of a record seven championships.

It started in dominant fashion with a clean sweep in Adelaide and the #88 was so fast that not even missing an entire round in Hamilton due to a heavy qualifying crash could stop him.

A sensational run of six straight wins propelled him to the title and Triple Eight’s first of a record 12 team crowns.

Part of that six peat was the historic landmark of Whincup and Lowndes completing a hat-trick of Bathurst 1000s.

A feat only Peter Brock and Holden Dealer Team have achieved.

2009

Craig Lowndes and Jamie Whincup share the front row at the start of the 2009 Supercars season in Adelaide. Image: Mark Horsburgh/LAT Photographic

Despite clearly being Ford’s fastest on the grid, if you took one look at the Vodafone Falcons you would have no idea Triple Eight represented the “Blue Oval.”

Triple EIght’s frustrations with the lack of Ford’s factory support was clear as there was not a single reference to the manufacturer on its FG Falcons, which Dane’s squad had just assisted in designing and developing.

The Ford badge had even been replaced by a Hogs Breath Cafe pig.

Despite the dramas off the track, Whincup was as fast as ever, winning the first four races of the year.

The next chapter of Triple Eight and Ford is coming in 2026.

Whilst the move to split the main drivers at the enduros saw Triple Eight’s Great Race streak come to an end, Whincup claimed regular wins at Symmons Plains, Hidden Valley, Townsville, Queensland Raceway, Phillip Island and Wanneroo to be the first driver since Marcos Ambrose to go back to back.

However, Triple Eight was still frustrated and was pleased to cross the divide and defect to Holden/GM where it took its success to record-breaking levels.

At that stage, a Ford and Triple Eight reunion appeared extremely unlikely, but it is happening.

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