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Ex-Craig Lowndes Formula Ford continues its racing journey

This Reynard FF88 can be credited in part to helping launch the career of three-time Repco Supercars champion and seven-time Bathurst 1000 winner Craig Lowndes.

Owned by David Ratcliff more than 30-years ago, the FF88 was offered to Lowndes after his talent was noticed while contesting the 1992 Motorcraft Formula Ford ‘Driver to Europe’ Series after contesting the previous season in a Van Diemen RF85.

He drove the RF85 to success in the 1991 ‘Champion of Winton’ Formula Ford Series against the likes of fellow future Supercars driver Cameron McConville.

In this FF88, driven last weekend by Peter Lucas and owned by his wife, Lowndes finished on the podium at the 1992 Oran Park finale.

Lowndes then went onto join the Van Diemen factory team for a successful tilt at the title in 1993 driving the latest model, which was then followed by a stint in Formula Brabham where he competed against Greg Murphy, co-driver for his first Bathurst 1000 victory in 1996.

Later that season, Lowndes received an opportunity to race a touring car in the Sandown 500 for the Holden Racing Team alongside Brad Jones due to the withdrawal of Rickard Rydell due to family reasons. The pair finished fifth and thus the career of Lowndes began to take shape.

Fast forward 30 years or so and Lucas finished on the class podium in all three races proving the RF88 is still a very capable chassis in the Historics.