After a career spanning two decades, Lee Holdsworth has announced he will retire from the Supercars championship at the completion of the season.
Holdsworth recently joined elite company at Sandown Raceway by becoming the 11th driver in Supercars history to reach 500 career races.
But he was close to falling short of that feat, spending 2021 without a full-time seat before granted a second chance by Penrite Racing this year.
The 39-year-old was a co-driver with Chaz Mostert in their 2021 Bathurst win and has won four races to go with 19 podiums across his 17-year career.
He said the decision to retire is a difficult one but it was time to spend more time with his wife and children.
"I've lived and breathed this sport since I was six years old and had the privilege of being a Supercars driver for over 17 years," Holdsworth said in a statement.
"It's required huge sacrifices, hard work and commitment, but above all else it's required enormous support from my family. For that I am extremely grateful.
"Despite opportunities to extend my full-time Supercars career, I feel the time is right to focus on a future outside motorsport and devoting more time to my wife Alana and our children, Ava and Riley, as they grow up.
"The 500 plus Supercars races I've contested have brought victories and podiums across three different manufacturers, including winning the Bathurst 1000 which was the pinnacle of my time in the sport.
"For the remainder of 2022, I am committed to delivering the best results for Penrite and our other great partners, as well as for the dedicated staff and crew who pour their hearts and souls into the team."
Holdsworth began his V8 career in 2006 with Garry Rogers Motorsport and won his first race a year later at Oran Park Raceway in NSW.
He had a career-best seventh place finish in the 2010 championship.
