The 40-year-old started from fifth on the grid but was handed the lead on the first lap following a clash between the Nissan of polesitter Rick Kelly and Fabian Coulthard's Commodore. It was the first of several incidents on a chaotic day of racing at the newly resurfaced Hidden Valley circuit.
Nick Percat and Andre Heimgartner made early exits after a four-car pile-up involving Holden's defending champion Jamie Whincup and Mercedes' Will Davison.
The incident triggered a safety car and some harsh words from Percat, who said on live TV that Whincup "drives like a tool".
"How has that bloke won anything?" Percat said over the team radio, even though Heimgartner appeared to be the one at fault.
Ford's Chaz Mostert won the opening 21-lap race earlier in the afternoon, which also had its fair share of drama.
He finished ahead of championship leader and Prodrive Racing Australia team-mate Mark Winterbottom to give PRA their fourth-straight race win.
Lowndes crossed the line in 18th after getting caught up in an opening-lap incident with team-mate Whincup, who finished 11th.
It was worse for Holden Racing Team's Garth Tander and James Courtney, who ended in 20th and 23rd respectively after colliding on the penultimate lap.
Holden's boss Simon McNamara apologised to fans for an "embarrassing" first race when the pair came together — for the second time in as many rounds — following a safety car with less than two laps remaining.
Courtney had qualified fastest to start from pole position.
Fabian Coulthard retired after his opening-lap collision with Whincup and an incident also led to Volvo's Scott McLaughlin's retirement with damage to his front suspension. McLaughlin was ninth in the second race with fellow Kiwi Shane van Gisbergen fifth and Coulthard 15th.
- AAP
