Luke Youlden is an Australian motor racing driver. He is the son of two-time Australian Production Car

Australian Production Car Championship

The Australian Production Car Championship is a CAMS sanctioned motor racing title for drivers of production cars, which must compete in close to standard specification...

 champion Kent Youlden. Youlden has been a V8 Supercar

V8 Supercar

V8 Supercars is a touring car racing category based in Australia and run as an International Series under Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile regulations...

 endurance co-driver for various teams since 2001 but has never raced in the series full-time. Outside of racing, Youlden works at a performance driving school with fellow V8 Supercar racer Dean Canto

Dean Canto

Dean Justin Canto is a multiple-championship winning Australian motor racing driver. Best noted as a V8 Supercar driver, Canto was the inaugural winner of the second-tier V8 Supercar development series in 2000, and the first to become a multiple-champion five years later...

.

Racing career

Youlden's career started in the Victorian Formula Ford Championship in 1995 while he was completing Year 12. Due to a lack of funds, Youlden didn't progress to the national championship

Australian Formula Ford Championship

The Australian Formula Ford Championship is a CAMS sanctioned national motor racing title for drivers of Formula Ford racing cars. It has been held annually since 1970, originally as a national series, and later as the 'Driver-to-Europe' series...

 and remained in the Victorian series. At the same time, he joined Dougal McDougall Motorsport as an engineer and a driver. In 1999, Youlden was involved with Greg Ritter

Greg Ritter

Greg Ritter is an Australian racing driver. He was the winner of the 1999 Australian Formula Ford Championship. and shared the winning drive at the 2004 Betta Electrical 500-Career results:-External links:*...

's Australian Formula Ford title win and with Ritter driving in the Bathurst 1000 that year, Youlden took his seat at the Bathurst support races. Youlden won both races and this, coupled with his victory in the Victorian series, allowed him to enter the national series in 2000. Youlden won the 2000 Australian Formula Ford Championship

2000 Australian Formula Ford Championship

The 2000 Australian Formula Ford Championship was open to drivers of racing cars complying with CAMS Formula Ford regulations. The title was contested over an eight round series, with two races per round.-Calendar:...

 and also competed in the British Formula Ford Festival. He made his Bathurst debut the same year, driving for Perkins Motorsport alongside Christian Murchison

Christian Murchison

Christian Murchison is a Singaporean race car driver.In 2003, Murchison finished 10th in the Eurocup Formula Renault V6 Championship. In 2000 and 2001, he was the runner-up in the Australian Formula Holden Championship for two year consecutive years...

. The pair were running inside the top five until a broken valve spring put them out of the race.

Youlden competed in the Australian GT Production Car Championship

Australian GT Production Car Championship

The Australian GT Production Car Championship was a CAMS sanctioned national motor racing title, organised by PROCAR Australia Pty Ltd, for drivers of Group 3E Series Production Cars.PROCAR had first promoted a national series for production based cars in 1994...

 in 2001, winning Class E in a Holden Astra

Holden Astra

The Holden Astra is a compact car that was marketed by Holden, the Australian subsidiary of General Motors. Spanning five generations, the original, Australia-only Astra of 1984 was a derivative of the locally-produced Nissan Pulsar, as was the 1987 Astra...

. He again competed for Perkins Motorsport in the V8 Supercar endurance races but was unable to secure a full-time drive for 2002. Youlden settled for what was then called the Konica Series, driving a Ford AU Falcon

Ford AU Falcon

The Ford AU Falcon and Fairmont are the first of the sixth generation series of the Ford Falcon, a full-size car produced by Ford Australia...

 for Steven Ellery Racing

Steven Ellery Racing

Steven Ellery Racing was a motorsport team contesting the V8 Supercar Championship. The team ceased operations at the end of 2004, with the owner Steven Ellery joining Triple 8 Racing for the 2005 Season- History :...

, and would drive with Steven Ellery

Steven Ellery

Steven Ellery is a retired Australian racing driver.Since 1994 Ellery has made 120 championship starts. He has recorded three podium finishes at the Bathurst 1000. Ellery has not raced full time in the series since the end of the 2005. season.-Career results:-References:...

 in the Queensland 500 and Bathurst 1000. Youlden and Ellery finished ninth at Bathurst and Youlden finished the Konica Series in 13th place after a bad start to the season hurt his championship chances. Youlden continued to drive for Steven Ellery Racing in both the Konica Series and the endurance races in 2003 and 2004. Youlden and Ellery finished on the podium in both endurance races in 2003 and the following year Youlden finished second in the Konica Series. Youlden was actually tied on points with series champion Andrew Jones but lost the title on a count back of round wins.

With Steven Ellery Racing dropping out the V8 Supercar Championship Series in 2005, Youlden was hired by Stone Brothers Racing

Stone Brothers Racing

Stone Brothers Racing is an Australian motor racing team competing in the International V8 Supercars Championship, formed in 1998 by experienced New Zealand-born motorsport veterans, Ross Stone and Jim Stone after buying out their partner in their previous racing team...

 to drive alongside Russell Ingall

Russell Ingall

Russell Ingall is an Australian V8 Supercar driver. Ingall won the V8 Supercar Championship for the first time in 2005, he was also the Championship runner up in 1998, 1999 and 2001. Ingall has also won the Bathurst 1000 motor race twice, in 1995 and 1997...

 in that year's endurance races. The pair finished inside the top ten in both endurance races, helping Ingall to the 2005 title. Youlden remained with the team for 2006 and came perilously close to a second podium a Bathurst when he and Ingall finished in fourth place, just one one-hundredth of a second behind team mates James Courtney

James Courtney

James Courtney is an Australian racing driver who competes in the V8 Supercar Championship. He is the current Australian Touring Car Champion after winning the 2010 title for Dick Johnson Racing....

 and Glenn Seton

Glenn Seton

Glenn Seton is an Australian racing driver.Seton, father of Courtney and Aaron Seton and husband to Jayne Seton, retired from full time racing after the 2005 V8 Supercar season, and is only one of five drivers to have competed in over 200 rounds in the series. The other drivers are Dick Johnson ,...

.

Youlden joined Ford Performance Racing

Ford Performance Racing

Ford Performance Racing is a British-owned Australian-based motor racing team that contests the Australian International V8 Supercars Championship...

 for the 2008 endurance races, driving the team's second car with Dean Canto

Dean Canto

Dean Justin Canto is a multiple-championship winning Australian motor racing driver. Best noted as a V8 Supercar driver, Canto was the inaugural winner of the second-tier V8 Supercar development series in 2000, and the first to become a multiple-champion five years later...

. The pair finished seventh at Bathurst and teamed together again in 2009, finising ninth at the L&H 500 but failing to finish at Bathurst after Canto hit the wall at The Esses late in the race. 2010 saw the introduction of a rule stating that each team's regular drivers were not allowed to be paired together at the endurance races. This rule saw Youlden get paired up with Mark Winterbottom

Mark Winterbottom

Mark "Frosty" Winterbottom, is a racing driver who has competed in the V8 Supercar category since 2003. He currently drives for the Ford Performance Racing team...

 for the L&H 500 and the Bathurst 1000. Youlden and Winterbottom finished second at the L&H 500 and were on pole for Bathurst, however a delaminated tyre put Youlden into the wall in the middle of the race and this put them out of contention. Youlden was placed in the #6 car for 2011 alongside Will Davison

Will Davison

Will Davison is an Australian racing driver. He currently competes with Ford Performance Racing in the #6 Trading Post FPR Falcon, in the premier Australian touring car class, V8 Supercar.-Early career:...

 and Youlden collected his first series pole position when the pair claimed the top grid spot at the L&H 500. After balance issues during the race, Youlden and Davison finished third behind the two Team Vodafone cars. Davison led the opening stint of the Bathurst 1000 but Youlden went off at Murray's Corner on the first safety car restart and hit the tyre wall. The pair recovered to finish on the lead lap, albeit in 18th place.

Career results

Season	Series	Position	Car	Team
2000 2000 Australian Formula Ford Championship The 2000 Australian Formula Ford Championship was open to drivers of racing cars complying with CAMS Formula Ford regulations. The title was contested over an eight round series, with two races per round.-Calendar:...	Australian Formula Ford Championship Australian Formula Ford Championship The Australian Formula Ford Championship is a CAMS sanctioned national motor racing title for drivers of Formula Ford racing cars. It has been held annually since 1970, originally as a national series, and later as the 'Driver-to-Europe' series...	1st	Mygale Mygale Mygale is a French racing car constructor and contractor that specialises in the production of single seater chassis for use in formula racing. The company was established in 1989 by Bertrand Decoster and its factory is based in Magny Cours....  SJ2000	Dougal McDougal Motorsport
2001 2001 Australian GT Production Car Championship The 2001 Australian GT Production Car Championship was a CAMS sanctioned motor racing title open to production cars. It was the sixth Australian GT Production Car Championship to be awarded....	Australian GT Production Car Championship Australian GT Production Car Championship The Australian GT Production Car Championship was a CAMS sanctioned national motor racing title, organised by PROCAR Australia Pty Ltd, for drivers of Group 3E Series Production Cars.PROCAR had first promoted a national series for production based cars in 1994...  (Class E)	1st	Holden Astra SRi Holden Astra The Holden Astra is a compact car that was marketed by Holden, the Australian subsidiary of General Motors. Spanning five generations, the original, Australia-only Astra of 1984 was a derivative of the locally-produced Nissan Pulsar, as was the 1987 Astra...	Luke Youlden
2001	V8 Supercar Championship Series	63rd	Holden VX Commodore Holden VX Commodore The Holden VX Commodore, Berlina and Calais range of full-size cars were the eleventh instalment of Holden Commodore, a model manufactured by Holden, the Australian subsidiary of General Motors...	Perkins Motorsport
2002 2002 Konica V8 Supercar Series The 2002 Konica V8 Supercar Series was an Australian touring car series held for V8 Supercars. It was the third series held for second tier V8 Supercar teams. The season began on 31 March 2002 at Wakefield Park and finished on 4 August at Mallala Motor Sport Park...	V8 Supercar Development Series	13th	Ford AU Falcon Ford AU Falcon The Ford AU Falcon and Fairmont are the first of the sixth generation series of the Ford Falcon, a full-size car produced by Ford Australia...	Steven Ellery Racing Steven Ellery Racing Steven Ellery Racing was a motorsport team contesting the V8 Supercar Championship. The team ceased operations at the end of 2004, with the owner Steven Ellery joining Triple 8 Racing for the 2005 Season- History :...
2002	V8 Supercar Championship Series	40th	Ford AU Falcon Ford AU Falcon The Ford AU Falcon and Fairmont are the first of the sixth generation series of the Ford Falcon, a full-size car produced by Ford Australia...	Steven Ellery Racing Steven Ellery Racing Steven Ellery Racing was a motorsport team contesting the V8 Supercar Championship. The team ceased operations at the end of 2004, with the owner Steven Ellery joining Triple 8 Racing for the 2005 Season- History :...
2003 2003 Konica V8 Supercar Series The 2003 Konica V8 Supercar Series was an Australian touring car series held for V8 Supercars. It was the fourth series held for second tier V8 Supercar teams. The season began on 23 February 2003 at Wakefield Park and finished on 31 August at Mallala Motor Sport Park...	V8 Supercar Development Series	5th	Ford AU Falcon Ford AU Falcon The Ford AU Falcon and Fairmont are the first of the sixth generation series of the Ford Falcon, a full-size car produced by Ford Australia...	Steven Ellery Racing Steven Ellery Racing Steven Ellery Racing was a motorsport team contesting the V8 Supercar Championship. The team ceased operations at the end of 2004, with the owner Steven Ellery joining Triple 8 Racing for the 2005 Season- History :...
2003 2003 V8 Supercar Championship Series The 2003 V8 Supercar Championship Series was a motor racing series for V8 Supercars. The series, which was the eighth V8 Supercar Championship Series, began on 22 March 2003 in Adelaide and ended on 30 November at Eastern Creek Raceway after 13 rounds...	V8 Supercar Championship Series	35th	Ford BA Falcon Ford BA Falcon The Ford BA Falcon is a full-size car, produced by the Ford Motor Company of Australia between September 2002 and October 2005. The exterior styling of the BA was a substantial revision of that used for the preceding AU model. A new independent rear suspension setup was fitted to all sedan...	Steven Ellery Racing Steven Ellery Racing Steven Ellery Racing was a motorsport team contesting the V8 Supercar Championship. The team ceased operations at the end of 2004, with the owner Steven Ellery joining Triple 8 Racing for the 2005 Season- History :...
2004 2004 Konica Minolta V8 Supercar Series The 2004 Konica Minolta V8 Supercar Series was an Australian touring car series held for V8 Supercars. It was the fifth series held for second tier V8 Supercar teams. The season began on 22 February 2004 at Wakefield Park and finished on 22 August at Mallala Motor Sport Park...	V8 Supercar Development Series	2nd	Ford AU Falcon Ford AU Falcon The Ford AU Falcon and Fairmont are the first of the sixth generation series of the Ford Falcon, a full-size car produced by Ford Australia...	Steven Ellery Racing Steven Ellery Racing Steven Ellery Racing was a motorsport team contesting the V8 Supercar Championship. The team ceased operations at the end of 2004, with the owner Steven Ellery joining Triple 8 Racing for the 2005 Season- History :...
2004 2004 V8 Supercar Championship Series The 2004 V8 Supercar Championship Series featured the sixth running of the V8 Supercar Championship Series. It began on 21 March 2004 in Adelaide and ended on 5 December at Eastern Creek Raceway after 13 rounds...	V8 Supercar Championship Series	40th	Ford BA Falcon Ford BA Falcon The Ford BA Falcon is a full-size car, produced by the Ford Motor Company of Australia between September 2002 and October 2005. The exterior styling of the BA was a substantial revision of that used for the preceding AU model. A new independent rear suspension setup was fitted to all sedan...	Steven Ellery Racing Steven Ellery Racing Steven Ellery Racing was a motorsport team contesting the V8 Supercar Championship. The team ceased operations at the end of 2004, with the owner Steven Ellery joining Triple 8 Racing for the 2005 Season- History :...
2005 2005 V8 Supercar Championship Series The 2005 V8 Supercar season was the seventh running of the V8 Supercar Championship Series. It began on 18 March 2005 in Adelaide and ended on 27 November at Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit after 13 rounds.-Teams and drivers:...	V8 Supercar Championship Series	40th	Ford BA Falcon Ford BA Falcon The Ford BA Falcon is a full-size car, produced by the Ford Motor Company of Australia between September 2002 and October 2005. The exterior styling of the BA was a substantial revision of that used for the preceding AU model. A new independent rear suspension setup was fitted to all sedan...	Stone Brothers Racing Stone Brothers Racing Stone Brothers Racing is an Australian motor racing team competing in the International V8 Supercars Championship, formed in 1998 by experienced New Zealand-born motorsport veterans, Ross Stone and Jim Stone after buying out their partner in their previous racing team...
2006 2006 Fujitsu V8 Supercar Series The 2006 Fujitsu V8 Supercar Series was an Australian touring car series held for V8 Supercars. It was the seventh series held for second tier V8 Supercar teams. The season began on 24 March 2006 at Adelaide Street Circuit and finished on 10 December at Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit...	V8 Supercar Development Series	22nd	Ford AU Falcon Ford AU Falcon The Ford AU Falcon and Fairmont are the first of the sixth generation series of the Ford Falcon, a full-size car produced by Ford Australia... Ford BA Falcon Ford BA Falcon The Ford BA Falcon is a full-size car, produced by the Ford Motor Company of Australia between September 2002 and October 2005. The exterior styling of the BA was a substantial revision of that used for the preceding AU model. A new independent rear suspension setup was fitted to all sedan...	Peters Motorsport Dick Johnson Racing Dick Johnson Racing Dick Johnson Racing is Australia's oldest operating motor racing team. Founded by Dick Johnson, the team has won seven Australian Touring Car Championship titles and has taken three victories in Australia's hallmark race, the Bathurst 1000...
2006 2006 V8 Supercar Championship Series The 2006 V8 Supercar season was the 8th running of the V8 Supercar Championship Series. It began on 25 March 2006 in Adelaide and ended on 10 December at Phillip Island after 13 rounds.-Race Calendar:...	V8 Supercar Championship Series	37th	Ford BA Falcon Ford BA Falcon The Ford BA Falcon is a full-size car, produced by the Ford Motor Company of Australia between September 2002 and October 2005. The exterior styling of the BA was a substantial revision of that used for the preceding AU model. A new independent rear suspension setup was fitted to all sedan...	Stone Brothers Racing Stone Brothers Racing Stone Brothers Racing is an Australian motor racing team competing in the International V8 Supercars Championship, formed in 1998 by experienced New Zealand-born motorsport veterans, Ross Stone and Jim Stone after buying out their partner in their previous racing team...
2007 2007 Fujitsu V8 Supercar Series The 2007 Fujitsu V8 Supercars season was the eighth running of the V8 Supercar Development series. It began on March 1 at the Clipsal 500 and ended on December 2 at Phillip Island after seven rounds.-Teams and drivers:-Race calendar:...	V8 Supercar Development Series	5th	Ford BA Falcon Ford BA Falcon The Ford BA Falcon is a full-size car, produced by the Ford Motor Company of Australia between September 2002 and October 2005. The exterior styling of the BA was a substantial revision of that used for the preceding AU model. A new independent rear suspension setup was fitted to all sedan... Ford AU Falcon Ford AU Falcon The Ford AU Falcon and Fairmont are the first of the sixth generation series of the Ford Falcon, a full-size car produced by Ford Australia...	A.N.T. Racing McGill Motorsport
2007 2007 V8 Supercar Championship Series The 2007 V8 Supercar season featured the ninth V8 Supercar Championship Series which began on 1 March and finished on 2 December. This championship consisted of 14 rounds covering all states and the Northern Territory of Australia as well as rounds in New Zealand and Bahrain...	V8 Supercar Championship Series	34th	Ford BF Falcon Ford BF Falcon The Ford BF Falcon was a full-size car that was manufactured by the Ford Motor Company in Victoria, Australia. The BF Falcon started production in October 2005 and a MkII update was released in October 2006...	Stone Brothers Racing Stone Brothers Racing Stone Brothers Racing is an Australian motor racing team competing in the International V8 Supercars Championship, formed in 1998 by experienced New Zealand-born motorsport veterans, Ross Stone and Jim Stone after buying out their partner in their previous racing team...
2008 2008 Fujitsu V8 Supercar Series The 2008 Fujitsu V8 Supercars season was the ninth running of the Fujitsu V8 Supercars Series, the second-tier V8 Supercar series. It began on February 21 at the Clipsal 500 and ended on December 7 at Oran Park Raceway after seven rounds.-Race calendar:...	V8 Supercar Development Series	29th	Ford BA Falcon Ford BA Falcon The Ford BA Falcon is a full-size car, produced by the Ford Motor Company of Australia between September 2002 and October 2005. The exterior styling of the BA was a substantial revision of that used for the preceding AU model. A new independent rear suspension setup was fitted to all sedan...	Howard Racing
2008	V8 Supercar Championship Series	38th	Ford BF Falcon Ford BF Falcon The Ford BF Falcon was a full-size car that was manufactured by the Ford Motor Company in Victoria, Australia. The BF Falcon started production in October 2005 and a MkII update was released in October 2006...	Ford Performance Racing Ford Performance Racing Ford Performance Racing is a British-owned Australian-based motor racing team that contests the Australian International V8 Supercars Championship...
2009 2009 V8 Supercar Championship Series The 2009 V8 Supercar Championship Series was the eleventh V8 Supercar Championship Series and the thirteenth series in which V8 Supercars have contested the premier Australian touring car title...	V8 Supercar Championship Series	52nd	Ford FG Falcon Ford FG Falcon The Ford FG Falcon is a full-size car produced by the Ford Motor Company of Australia since 2008. The FG series is the current model of the Ford Falcon and is the seventh generation of the car...	Ford Performance Racing Ford Performance Racing Ford Performance Racing is a British-owned Australian-based motor racing team that contests the Australian International V8 Supercars Championship...
2010 2010 Fujitsu V8 Supercar Series The 2010 Fujitsu V8 Supercars season was the eleventh running of the V8 Supercar Development series. It supported the 2010 V8 Supercar Championship Series, beginning on 11 March at the Clipsal 500 and ending on 5 December at the Sydney 500 after seven rounds....	V8 Supercar Development Series	40th	Ford BF Falcon Ford BF Falcon The Ford BF Falcon was a full-size car that was manufactured by the Ford Motor Company in Victoria, Australia. The BF Falcon started production in October 2005 and a MkII update was released in October 2006...	MW Motorsport
2010 2010 V8 Supercar Championship Series The 2010 V8 Supercar Championship Series was an FIA sanctioned international motor racing series for V8 Supercars. It was the twelfth V8 Supercar Championship Series and the fourteenth series in which V8 Supercars have contested the premier Australian touring car title...	V8 Supercar Championship Series	32nd	Ford FG Falcon Ford FG Falcon The Ford FG Falcon is a full-size car produced by the Ford Motor Company of Australia since 2008. The FG series is the current model of the Ford Falcon and is the seventh generation of the car...	Ford Performance Racing Ford Performance Racing Ford Performance Racing is a British-owned Australian-based motor racing team that contests the Australian International V8 Supercars Championship...