For four days every October, the quiet country town of Bathurst becomes home to the thundering roar of V8 Supercars, the pinnacle of Australian motorsport and the biggest motorsport race in the southern hemisphere – the Bathurst 1000.
The 46th running of this iconic event is deep and rich in tradition that grows every year, and it takes place this weekend October 10–12. Bathurst today is much more than a motor race – it’s a sporting event of national significance.
Another round in the 14-race Supercar Championship it may be, but to many, this is the one race that counts the most. Bathurst is the only race some teams have had in the planning since the chequered flag dropped at Mount Panorama some 12 months ago.
As the most traditional race for a driver in Australia, it has a huge impact on who you are, who you become and how the winning drivers go down in history in the best race in Australia. It is the dream of every motorsport driver to win Bathurst, to one day be “King of the Mountain”.
Winners become National sporting Heroes and more importantly their names etched on the Bathurst 1000 hall of fame Honour board.
Man against man, machine against machine, there is something very unique in the excitement generated by motor racing, speed, teamwork, stamina, driver skill and courage.
Fans from Australia and around the globe will witness the home-grown Aussie Holden vs Ford V8 Supercars and the biggest names in Australian and International motorsport fighting for supremacy, head-to-head on one of the most demanding race circuits in the world.
The Bathurst 1000km enduro is no ordinary race. What started as a 500-mile race around a tourists’ scenic drive in 1963 has become the most historic motorsport race in Australia and has developed into a “sprint” over 1000km to the chequered flag.
The gruelling Mount Panorama circuit demands respect, an abundance of talent, skill and commitment. A public road 361 days of the year, Bathurst is the holy grail of motorsport in this country and 2008 is shaping up to be one of the toughest contests on record.
Holden has an enviable record on the mountain recording seven victories in the past decade, with two of the General’s favourite sons Mark Skaife and Greg Murphy recording multiple victories. The “Murph” makes no secret of the fact he calls the 6.2km patch of bitumen home, as well as holding the lap record in a sensational shoot out effort in 2003 in a lap which, for those who witnessed the feat, testify as the best lap ever on the mountain and may never be matched.
The Ford boys have fought back with Craig Lowndes and Jamie Whincup balancing the ledger somewhat with back-to-back wins in 2006 and 2007.
The 60 to 70 thousand race fans on the Mountain and many millions of race fans watching the telecast live have not seen the Brocks, Johnsons, Skaife or Murphy victories without their fair share of good fortune, combined with an extraordinary amount of driver skill and teamwork required to be “King of the Mountain” and a place in Australian motorsport folklore.
Ford vs Holden let the battle begin!
The most successful driver at Bathurst has been Peter Brock, whose nine victories (1972, 1975, 1978–80, 1982–84 and 1987) earned him the nickname King of the Mountain.
Recently retired Jim Richards won the race seven times (1978–80, 1991–92, 1998 and 2002) and also holds the record for the most starts (35) at this event.
Larry Perkins is the third most successful driver at Bathurst, with six victories (1982–84, 1993, 1995 and 1997). Both Richards and Perkins shared some of their victories as co-drivers with Brock.
Mark Skaife has won five times. His first was in 1991, with a Nissan Skyline GT-R. He also won in 1992 in the same car and in 2001, 2002 and 2005 in a Holden Commodore. He’s been rated as the No.1 driver of the V8 Supercar era in front of Marcos Ambrose and Craig Lowndes.
Canadian-born Allan Moffat is considered by many to be Ford’s greatest Bathurst driver, winning the race four times (1970, 1971, 1973 and 1977). The 1977 race saw Moffat and team-mate Colin Bond cross the finish line side by side after opening up an indomitable lead in the early laps.
New Zealand-born Greg Murphy has won four times (1996, 1999, 2003, 2004) and recorded the fastest ever lap in the 2003 top 10 shootout for pole position.
Dick Johnson first rose to fame during the 1980 race when his privately-entered Ford Falcon hit a rock that had fallen (or been pushed; the subject is still debated to this day) onto the track. Thanks to public donations of over $A70,000 – and a matching donation from the Ford Motor Company – Johnson was able to rebuild his car and win the Bathurst race the following year. He went on to win twice more in 1989 and 1994.
The 46th running of this iconic event is deep and rich in tradition that grows every year, and it takes place this weekend October 10–12. Bathurst today is much more than a motor race – it’s a sporting event of national significance.
Another round in the 14-race Supercar Championship it may be, but to many, this is the one race that counts the most. Bathurst is the only race some teams have had in the planning since the chequered flag dropped at Mount Panorama some 12 months ago.
As the most traditional race for a driver in Australia, it has a huge impact on who you are, who you become and how the winning drivers go down in history in the best race in Australia. It is the dream of every motorsport driver to win Bathurst, to one day be “King of the Mountain”.
Winners become National sporting Heroes and more importantly their names etched on the Bathurst 1000 hall of fame Honour board.
Man against man, machine against machine, there is something very unique in the excitement generated by motor racing, speed, teamwork, stamina, driver skill and courage.
Fans from Australia and around the globe will witness the home-grown Aussie Holden vs Ford V8 Supercars and the biggest names in Australian and International motorsport fighting for supremacy, head-to-head on one of the most demanding race circuits in the world.
The Bathurst 1000km enduro is no ordinary race. What started as a 500-mile race around a tourists’ scenic drive in 1963 has become the most historic motorsport race in Australia and has developed into a “sprint” over 1000km to the chequered flag.
The gruelling Mount Panorama circuit demands respect, an abundance of talent, skill and commitment. A public road 361 days of the year, Bathurst is the holy grail of motorsport in this country and 2008 is shaping up to be one of the toughest contests on record.
Holden has an enviable record on the mountain recording seven victories in the past decade, with two of the General’s favourite sons Mark Skaife and Greg Murphy recording multiple victories. The “Murph” makes no secret of the fact he calls the 6.2km patch of bitumen home, as well as holding the lap record in a sensational shoot out effort in 2003 in a lap which, for those who witnessed the feat, testify as the best lap ever on the mountain and may never be matched.
The Ford boys have fought back with Craig Lowndes and Jamie Whincup balancing the ledger somewhat with back-to-back wins in 2006 and 2007.
The 60 to 70 thousand race fans on the Mountain and many millions of race fans watching the telecast live have not seen the Brocks, Johnsons, Skaife or Murphy victories without their fair share of good fortune, combined with an extraordinary amount of driver skill and teamwork required to be “King of the Mountain” and a place in Australian motorsport folklore.
Ford vs Holden let the battle begin!
Kings of the Mountain
The most successful driver at Bathurst has been Peter Brock, whose nine victories (1972, 1975, 1978–80, 1982–84 and 1987) earned him the nickname King of the Mountain.
Recently retired Jim Richards won the race seven times (1978–80, 1991–92, 1998 and 2002) and also holds the record for the most starts (35) at this event.
Larry Perkins is the third most successful driver at Bathurst, with six victories (1982–84, 1993, 1995 and 1997). Both Richards and Perkins shared some of their victories as co-drivers with Brock.
Mark Skaife has won five times. His first was in 1991, with a Nissan Skyline GT-R. He also won in 1992 in the same car and in 2001, 2002 and 2005 in a Holden Commodore. He’s been rated as the No.1 driver of the V8 Supercar era in front of Marcos Ambrose and Craig Lowndes.
Canadian-born Allan Moffat is considered by many to be Ford’s greatest Bathurst driver, winning the race four times (1970, 1971, 1973 and 1977). The 1977 race saw Moffat and team-mate Colin Bond cross the finish line side by side after opening up an indomitable lead in the early laps.
New Zealand-born Greg Murphy has won four times (1996, 1999, 2003, 2004) and recorded the fastest ever lap in the 2003 top 10 shootout for pole position.
Dick Johnson first rose to fame during the 1980 race when his privately-entered Ford Falcon hit a rock that had fallen (or been pushed; the subject is still debated to this day) onto the track. Thanks to public donations of over $A70,000 – and a matching donation from the Ford Motor Company – Johnson was able to rebuild his car and win the Bathurst race the following year. He went on to win twice more in 1989 and 1994.
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