Walkinshaw Andretti United’s thrilling Repco Supercars Championship victory on the streets of Adelaide came more than 20-years since its last, although there have been a few iterations since 2002.
Mark Skaife absolutely dominated the 2002 V9 Supercars Championship as demonstrated by winning the opening five rounds of the season.
Known as the Holden Racing Team during this dominating period starting from 1996 when Craig Lowndes won on debut, it delivered further titles in 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001 and 2002.
During these five rounds, Skaife lost just three out of the 10 races held during these rounds as his Bathurst victory partnered by Jim Richards effectively sealed his fifth and final Australian Touring Car Championship crown.
However, post-season the empire started to crumble.
TWR collapsed as a result of founder Tom Walkinshaw’s ownership of the Arrows Formula 1 Team leading to Holden purchasing the operations, but manufacturers were unable to own RECs leaving Mark Skaife to pick up the pieces.
Under Skaife’s ownership, the once dominant Holden Racing Team continued to be a frontrunner until the five-champion retired in 2008.
Ford’s renewed investment, the rise of Marcos Ambrose and Stone Brothers Racing, plus V8 Supercars’ Project Blueprint regulations designed to even the products on both sides led to the Holden Racing Team falling down the pecking order.
By the end of 2008, Skaife was out of his ownership stake of the Holden Racing Team and Tom Walkinshaw back in.
Walkinshaw passed away on December 12, 2010 leaving the running of the Australian arm of the business to son Ryan.
Bathurst wins have followed, but the team finally tasted title victory in Adelaide.
Even the team has changed since 2011 when the Ryan took over, with involvement from Andretti Autosport and United Autosports arriving in 2017.
Now another major change occurs after swapping to Ford in 2023, it will now debut two Toyota Supras next year.