Supercheap Auto Racing’s Craig Lowndes and Bayley Hall have charged from 22nd to 12th in a chaotic, rain-affected AirTouch 500 at The Bend.

Lowndes started the race aboard the No. 15 Supercheap Auto Racing Chevrolet Camaro as heavy rain soaked the West Circuit ahead of the 147-lap contest.

The seven-time Bathurst 1000 winner survived a frantic opening lap before being spun from 18th position by Bryce Fullwood on Lap 4.

Lowndes quickly recovered and demonstrated impressive pace as the rain intensified with the Supercheap Auto Racing Chevrolet strong in the fully wet conditions.

Torrential rain and widespread aquaplaning brought out the first Safety Car on Lap 25 before the race was neutralised for a second time on Lap 45 due to the extreme conditions.

Lowndes narrowly avoided a spinning Nick Percat following the earlier restart and climbed through the order as the Supercheap Auto Racing crew navigated the changing weather and pit-stop sequence.

Lowndes also avoided a spinning Ojeda at Turn 11 which just scratched the rear wing.

Lowndes rose as high as fourth following the third Safety Car period, although an off-track moment at Turn 1 after the restart dropped him back to 10th.

After completing approximately 80 laps in the demanding conditions, Lowndes handed the car to Hall as the rain cleared and a dry line began to emerge.

Hall steadily built his confidence as the slick tyres reached their operating window, matching the pace of the midfield and gaining valuable experience managing the tyres across the closing stages.

The 23-year-old enjoyed several battles on his way to the chequered flag, completing his first Supercars endurance race and only his second event in the championship.

Lowndes and Hall crossed the line 14th after gaining eight positions from their starting spot.

The pair were later promoted to 12th in the final classification following a post-race disqualification and a post-race penalty to other contenders, completing a 10-position improvement from where they started.

The result capped an encouraging endurance debut for the Team 18-run Supercheap Auto Racing program after Hall topped Friday’s co-driver practice session.

The AirTouch 500 was shortened from its scheduled 147 laps to 141 after reaching the time-certain finish, with three Safety Car periods across a dramatic three-and-a-half-hour race.

Supercheap Auto Racing will now turn its attention towards the Bathurst 1000, where Lowndes will make his 33rd start in the Great Race alongside Hall.

RESULTS & QUOTES

Craig Lowndes, Primary Driver – No. 15 Supercheap Auto Racing Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

Race 29: P12

“That was a crazy day. We all expected some rain, but we didn’t expect that much.

“To be honest, I think the officials did a reasonable job looking after us because there were times when we couldn’t see and were aquaplaning down the main straight.

“We survived and came away with a few little taps and bangs, like everyone else. The car was really good in the wet and, when the circuit was fully wet, it really hooked up.

“I completed around 80 laps, which wasn’t the original plan, but the timing worked well to put Bayley into the car as the circuit transitioned from wet to dry.

“He did a great job to bring us from 22nd on the grid to 14th on the road on such a crazy day.

“I’m proud of the team. We gelled well and our pit stops were good. We have plenty to learn from this weekend, but we’re heading in the right direction as we prepare for Bathurst.”

Bayley Hall, Co-Driver – No. 15 Supercheap Auto Racing Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

“Finishing 14th on the road as a wildcard was really cool in my first endurance race.

“Lowndesy handed the car over to me just as the circuit started to dry, which was good timing. I was glad I wasn’t in the car for the worst of the wet conditions, to be honest.

“A dry line began to form and I was able to start pushing as the slick tyres came up to temperature. We had enough pace to stay with the top half of the field.

“I had some good battles towards the end and learned a lot about tyre management. It was a really positive day to complete plenty of laps and avoid the carnage.

“A big thank you to everyone at Supercheap Auto Racing and Team 18 for coming together, working hard and giving us the tools to get the job done.”