The title is awarded to those who are not citizens of the city, but have had a big impact on Bathurst.

And with a pair of Bathurst 12 Hour victories, six Bathurst 1000 wins and more Great Race podiums than any driver in the history of the race, Lowndes has certainly had a big impact.

But don’t be mistaken, Lowndes still has plenty more he wants to achieve at Mount Panorama.

This year will mark his last Bathurst 1000 as a full-time driver, but his 25^th appearance in the 161-lap epic will not be his last.

Lowndes wants to add to his 13 Bathurst 1000 podiums and this Sunday alongside co-driver Steve Richards in the #888 Commodore, will be gunning for exactly that.

“I'm still excited to win, Richo and I are definitely keen to turn that number six into a seven. You never get tired or sick of the place,” Lowndes said.

“I definitely still want to be, and hope to be for a long time, part of the endurance rounds and keep coming to Bathurst.

“I'm trying to explain to people that I'm not going to disappear, I'll still be around, it will just be in a different form.”

Since announcing in July that this would be his last season as a full-time driver, the already hugely popular Lowndes has attracted even more attention at race meetings.

He laughs that it takes him “a lot longer to walk around the tracks”, but he knew his decision was the right one.

“Since I made the decision to step down as a full-time driver at Townsville, I still haven’t at any time found myself regretting the decision,” he said. 

“For me it’s the right time and it allows me to go and do other things I’ve been wanting to do like a Le Mans, even trying to get a bit of momentum with the boss, Roland [Dane], to go and do Goodwood.

“There are a lot of other things that basically I haven’t had the opportunity to do because of the Supercar calendar.

“No doubt since Townsville there have been some crazy race weekends, but it’s great, it shows the passion and support that we have.

“I'm loving it because the whole reason we made the announcement when we did was so that fans could follow the journey.

“A lot of people have shared stories of when they first started following me, when I first started in Touring Cars back then.

“For me it’s a wonderful way to farewell the year, but I’m also looking forward to next year.”

Your 12 page guide to the 2018 Bathurst 1000. Click the link to access more stories and information.

No doubt Lowndes will hear plenty more stories at Mount Panorama this year, but he wants to keep hearing them into the future as well.

Since he made his Bathurst 1000 debut in 1994 alongside Brad Jones for the Holden Racing Team, Lowndes has developed a huge respect for the 6.213 kilometres of the Mount Panorama circuit.

Much of it came from seeing the approach his mentor, the late Peter Brock, adopted for Bathurst each year.

“Bathurst is a special place, I think that really comes from the early days with Brock,” he said.

“I remember driving into the circuit back in ’94, ’95 and he sort of - I don’t know how to explain it - he was in love with the place.

“He really was at one with the circuit and you could see his demeanour and his attitude change as we’d drive into the circuit. It was divined from the emotions that it brings.

“I think for me, from that point, I learned how to control the nerves and also you’re so excited about what you’re about to undertake, it’s the biggest race of the year.”

Mixed amongst Lowndes’ Bathurst wins – claiming the maiden Peter Brock Trophy in 2006 one he’s labelled as his “all-time best race victory” – has been his share of disappointments as well.

Three times – in 1995, 1997 and 2002 – he left Bathurst with a DNF next to his name.

The past two years Mount Panorama has presented Lowndes and Richards with disappointments as well, missing the top 10 shootout before mechanical issues hampered them on race day.

But for Lowndes the ups and downs that he and his fellow drivers have experienced at Bathurst over the years is part of what makes the race so iconic.

“It's so special for my memories for what I've achieved there, not only good, but also the bad. You just know that the week is going to be a huge week of motor sport and a huge team effort, not just myself or Steve Richards,” he said.

“It’s the longest duration race we have here, huge elevation, you have to have respect for that bit of road you race on because I’ve been on the receiving end when it does bite.

“It doesn’t matter how many times or how experienced you are, you've got to approach it with respect and no doubt this year will be the same.”

Lowndes and Richards head to Bathurst on the back of their best result together in the Sandown 500.

They placed third behind the sister Triple Eight cars of Jamie Whincup and Shane van Gisbergen.

But Lowndes, who has actually won the pre-Bathurst enduro and the Great Race in the same year three times, knows the Mount is unique.

“The circuits are very, very different in their layouts, but you do take some confidence out of Sandown,” he said.

“The cars were fast and reliable at Sandown which is a good indication that we are in good shape going into Bathurst. But you can’t dismiss the other competition.”