YOULDEN RETIRES FROM SUPERCARS

Bathurst 1000 winner Luke Youlden has called time on his Supercars racing career, stressing the decision was his alone and not triggered by a tough 2019 Pirtek Enduro Cup campaign.

By BRUCE NEWTON

The 41-year old, who won at the mountain in 2017 with David Reynolds, will be retained by Erebus Motorsport as a coach and mentor for young drivers at its burgeoning academy.

“I can’t thank Erebus enough,” said Youlden. “I was never going to drive anywhere else after driving here.”

The team has secured his replacement and is scheduled to announce its 2020 co-driver line-up within weeks.

“This team is fighting for race wins and Bathurst wins and I feel they need someone who can match Dave (Reynolds),” said Youlden.

“Just looking at it from a team perspective, I don’t want to be selfish and take that spot up.”

Nicknamed 11-10ths for his press-on style, the Gold Coast-based Victorian has a unique record in Supercars racing, competing in 20 Bathurst 1000s without ever starting a sprint round.

Youlden recorded podiums at Mount Panorama, in the Sandown 500, the Phillip Island 500 and the Gold Coast 600.

He started in Supercars at Perkins Motorsport in 2000, then moved to Steven Ellery Racing, Stone Brothers Racing, Ford Performance Racing, Brad Jones Racing, DJR Team Penske and Erebus.

He has shared cars with such notables as Russell Ingall, Will Davison, Mark Winterbottom, Shane van Gisbergen, Fabian Coulthard and Reynolds.

Youlden’s 2019 Pirtek Enduro Cup was highlighted by third place on Sunday at the Gold Coast, but he and Reynolds had dramas in the other races including a Bathurst practice crash.

Youlden revealed to Auto Action he had been considering his Supercars racing future even as the endurance season began.

“It’s getting increasingly difficult to just turn up off the couch and race at the top level for three races and then jump back on the couch and not race one of these things for eight months,” said Youlden.

“I’ve basically done that for 20 years and I think I have done a pretty good job of just turning up and doing it with basically no miles.

“I am pretty proud of that fact that I have been able to hang in there so long without really any backing behind me.”

He informed Erebus owner Betty Klimenko, team boss Barry Ryan, Reynolds and chief engineer Alistair McVean of his decision a few days after Sandown.

“I got some fantastic messages back from all of them,” Youlden said.

Unsurprisingly, he nominated the Bathurst win as the highlight of his career. It was something that has helped him come to terms with stepping back.

“I have achieved what I desperately wanted to achieve,” he said. “It definitely changes your life.”

Youlden will continue racing in the GT category with his plans set to be revealed shortly. A father of two young kids, he also has an expanding role at Porsche Track Experience as Tomas Mezera’s deputy and ongoing media commitments as a high-performance road tester for carsales.com.au.

“My life outside Supercars is hectic and busy and that is where my future is,” he said.

“I’ll miss it for sure, it’s been a huge part of my life for 20 years.”

Ryan praised Youlden for his contribution to the team.

“What Luke has done for us is incredible, and we all have so much respect for him as a driver and as a person,” he said.

“We’ve always said he is the ‘baseline’ for who we want all of our drivers to be; he’s always organised, respectful, fast, great with fans and media, and most of all a top bloke.”

“What guys like Luke bring to an organisation is invaluable and the entire team love having him around.”

“He is a great support to Dave and Anton (De Pasquale) and our young drivers as he has walked in their shoes, and with the Erebus Academy as well as other initiatives moving forward, Luke will be an integral part of that.”

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