Skaife's race ends
Skaife crashes out of Bathurst 1000Pre-race favourite Mark Skaife has crashed out of the Bathurst 1000 on the first lap.
Skaife made an atrocious race start from pole position, a slipping clutch making him drop to the near rear of the field.
The Holden Racing Team driver was struggling for pace and was running off the racing line on the climb up the mountain but rookie Jack Perkins speared into him from behind, sending Skaife flying into the wall.
Skaife won't return for the rest of the race, but Perkins was able to get his Jack Daniel's Commodore back to the garage despite flames blowing around his vehicle and could return later in the day.
Meanwhile, Ford's Craig Lowndes is leading the Bathurst 1000 race after 18 of 161 laps at Mount Panorama.
Early race leader Jason Bright flat-spotted a tyre and was forced into an early pit stop on lap 15 and Holden's Rick Kelly missed the start to fall back to seventh position.
Lowndes has climbed from sixth on the grid to now lead Holden's Jason Richards by almost two seconds, with Greg Murphy third, also in a Commodore.
Bright had skipped out to a massive five second lead until he skidded off coming into the chase and quickly headed to his garage for a left tyre change -- he is currently running 22nd.
Source: AAP 2006
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