Motorsport fans, it’s time again for the biggest race in Australia, the Bathurst 1000 (officially known as the Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000, which, let’s be honest, is a very cool name). This 1,000km touring car race is held annually at Mount Panorama Circuit in Bathurst, New South Wales.

The Bathurst 1000, a.k.a. the Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000

And to Australian motorsport fans, Bathurst is a special place. Thousands upon thousands of fans flock here, many to pay homage to Australia’s premier motorsport category, the V8 Supercars. The main race kicks off on Sunday, October 7, with qualifying and practice races running starting tomorrow on Thursday, October 4.The atmosphere at Bathurst is over the top: hundreds of campers, thousands of tents, impromptu barbeques and couches on the hillside are the norm. Ford and Holden fans share space on the mountain, all vying for the best vantage point for the 161 laps on Sunday, and fighting it out to see who can make the most eye-catching banner to support their team.

To fans, Bathurst is the pinnacle of the racing calendar. To the drivers, it’s no different. It represents a feat of endurance, the survival of the fittest, and strength of character. All drivers aiming to win at least one Bathurst in their careers.

Kicking back at the 2006 Bathurst 1000

This year, it’s the second Bathurst race run without the King of the Mountain, Peter Brock, who died in September 2006. Last year’s race was marked by an unforgettable outpouring of grief by Australian motorsport fans, with hundreds of thousands of signatures and well-wishes along the walls of the Bathurst circuit in honour of Peter Brock.

This year also marks the first anniversary of the death of Mark Porter, who was killed during a support race here at the mountain in 2006. Drivers this year will take to the grid with a mixture of sorrow and determination.

2006 saw the commission of the Peter Brock Trophy, to celebrate both the man and his career on the mountain. The inaugural winners, Craig Lowndes and Jamie Whincup, will be looking to repeat their success on the mountain after taking out the Sandown 500 in the run up to the major enduro. They will be fighting off the likes of Garth Tander and Rick Kelly, Mark Skaife and Todd Kelly, and Mark Winterbottom and Steve Richards, who will be keen to see that the rise and rise of the Team Vodafone car is stopped. For more information about the race, check out v8dailydump.com.au or v8x.com.au.

–V8 Daily Dump

This entry was posted on Wednesday, October 3rd, 2007 at 10:20 am and is filed under Australia & Pacific, Destinations. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

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