Hi to all you Supercars Fans around the world!
Late 2024 Mark Winterbottom announced his retirement from full-time V8-Supercars racing. Although he will still continue in the sport as a co-driver for endurance racing this article is a tribute to a much-loved man who has stood the test of time in a brilliant career to date.
Mark “Frosty” Winterbottom was born on the 20th of May 1981 in Sydney suburb of Doonside New South Wales.
He seemed to enjoy sports as a child and excelled in soccer. By the age of 5 he was playing for the Blacktown United Soccer Team.
At age 8 he started racing 50cc motorbikes in between his soccer playing. He soon moved into the 80cc category.
He also had a go at dirt mini speed car racing and showed an amazing talent. He won the ACT and NSW championships. It was obvious that something big was going to happen for him in whichever sports he chose to participate in.
Around the age of 9 he was behind the wheel of a race Kart which he continued to compete in until the age of 21.
During that time he won ten(10) Australian kart championships and 25 state karting championships plus other titles.
There was no doubt where it was leading and in 2001debuted in the 2001 Australian Formula Ford Championship and claimed runners up honours despite missing a round. In 2002 was runner up only because legend Jamie Whincup was there. His talent was visible and he received the Formula Ford Rookie of the Year Award.
In 2003 Mark Winterbottom became the Konica V8 Supercars series champion racing for Stone Brothers Racing team in his debut season. He also debuted in the V8-Supercars championship as co-driver in the Sandown 500 and Bathurst 1000.
Race legend Mark Larkham saw promise in Winterbottom’s talents and asked him to join his brand new team Larkham Motorsport for the V8-Supercars Championship. Winterbottom performed well through 2004 and 2005 before moving on to Ford Performance Racing in 2006.
Winterbottom had full time driver seat ever since.
After an amazing 21-year career in Supercars he has competed in 645 races, earned 35 pole positions, had 117 podium finishes including 38 race wins.
There are too many achievements to mention but I am sure he has fond recollections of taking the championship in 2015, wining the Bathurst 1000 in 2013 and Sandown 500 in 2015.
Mark Winterbottom is much loved amongst his peers and fans alike. You would be hard pressed to find someone say something bad about him.
I’ve been a fan of motorsports since I was a kid & Frosty has become such an integral part of the Australian motorsports lineup he will surely be missed. I know I will miss seeing him on the grid for every event.
I would like to say thanks for all you have given us through the years and look forward to seeing you at the enduro races. Best of luck in everything you choose to do in the future.