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Holdsworth to combine real estate job, Supercars drive

Lee Holdsworth will kick off a new career in real estate alongside his return as a Supercars full-timer in 2022.

Lee Holdsworth, Grove Racing

Lee Holdsworth, Grove Racing

Kelly Grove Racing

The 38-year-old has inked a full-time return to Supercars next season with Grove Racing, with a one-year deal as the team continues to evaluate young Kiwi Matt Payne.

The opportunity has come as somewhat of a surprise to Holdsworth, with talks starting shortly before the Bathurst 1000 and the deal only struck in the last week, following Chaz Mostert and Holdsworth's stunning win.

Proving how unexpected the full-time return is, Holdsworth had already locked in a full-time job with industrial real estate firm CBRE for 2022.

He isn't abandoning his new career entirely, either, Holdsworth telling Fox Sports that he will combine the real estate role with the GR drive.

"I sort of shut the door, closed the book [on a full-time Supercars drive] six months into this year," said Holdsworth.

"I was chasing opportunities all year and with COVID and everything it was very difficult.

"I spent all year trying to find a career outside of motorsport, and I sort of did for next year. I'm taking up a job with CBRE real estate in the industrial sector.

"That's pretty cool, I don't want to throw that away. They've been good enough to let me go part time with them along with the Grove Racing thing.

"This came out of the blue for me. But I knew in the back of my mind, and certainly once I was at Bathurst, that I've still got what it takes. I've opened the book back up and I don't really want to close it just yet."

Holdsworth added that he's happy with the single-year deal at GR, his role with the team, currently undergoing key ownership and management changes, to help it find direction in the category.

"My focus with this team is to help them develop and use my experience to help them with the direction of the team and iron out a few things," he said.

"I'm not looking beyond 12 months at the moment. I'll just do the best job I can for them. Hopefully we can pull off some great results and improve the cars. I'd like to see this team go from strength to strength."

As for the timing of the deal, Holdsworth said the Bathurst win "didn't hurt", but that talks were underway before that weekend.

"I certainly don't think it hurt," he said.

"I was chatting to those guys before the weekend and they alluded to the fact they were interested in me and wanted to talk after the weekend. Who knows. I think it probably played a little bit of a part to secure it."

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