Motorsport: Lowndes not thinking of retirement

Craig Lowndes drives during the V8 Supercars Queensland Test Day. Photo / Getty Images

Craig Lowndes can't see a finish line in sight beyond breaking the record for the most number of rounds by a V8 Supercar driver.

Lowndes this weekend in Adelaide contests his 251st round, surpassing the record he jointly holds with Russell Ingall, and wants to extend his career into 2018 at least.

"I have got a contract for this year and next year, beyond that I would like to still continue," Lowndes told reporters on Thursday.

"My dream is to continue on but we have to see where we are at that point.

"I'm 41 now and for me it's not necessarily an age barrier.

"It's obviously staying fit and being motivated and being competitive - that is the main thing, because you don't want to be running around mid to back of the field, I would rather get out of the seat."

Lowndes said capturing an elusive fourth championship was a prime motivator - he has finished runner-up six times in the past 10 years.

"I would love to win a championship, that is the biggest goal - '99 was the last one but I have been second many times," he said.

Lowndes will perform a lap of honour on Saturday at the season-opening event but said he was trying to treat it as just another round of racing.

"It's quite amazing, to know that I have had the longevity in the sport to now get the 251," he said.

"It's a great milestone. It's really nice to have the records rewritten.

"But to be honest it's just another round at the moment.

"We do more race starts and rounds now than what we did when I first began ... no doubt someone with longevity in the sport will overtake me in the times to come."