The greatest spectacle in racing
This is what V8 Supercars fans live for – the Bathurst 1000 on that one Sunday in October. Whether you’re one of the lucky few making the trek to Mount Panorama to view trackside, or whether you’re planting yourself on the couch for the six hours-plus it takes for V8 Supercars’ finest to complete the 1000km, this is a special event to be enjoyed by all revheads.
And things are heating up very nicely in V8 Supercars-land; the championship battle getting very tight as the series approaches its congested final events.
Following Craig Lowndes and Mark Skaife victory at Phillip Island, Lowndes has closed teammate Jamie Whincup’s points lead to just 92 points. Gunning for back-to-back Bathursts and their fourth consecutive victory when paired together over the last two seasons, it’s very hard to look past car #888 if you’re a betting person.
But the fun of Bathurst is that it’s predictably unpredictable. Whether it’s kangaroos getting on track, crazy weather, rocks, backmarkers, unreliability, brain fades, you name it – they can all play their part at Bathurst. We’ve seen them in the past and they’ll likely impact again. A lot can happen in 1000km, after all.
The majestic track not only tests the drivers like no other in Australia, it also hosts one hell of a party. The festivities really kick into life at the top of the mountain, where the diehards set up their elaborate camps for the four days and really get into the spirit of the weekend. The campsites elsewhere may not be as “full on” but are nevertheless just as fun.
The XXXX GOLD Retreat can be found on the outside of Murray’s Corner, providing one of the best vantage points overlooking the challenging final corner. You’re bound to see plenty of tyre smokes as drivers leave that breaking mark a tad too late!
In addition to the main event, the Fujitsu Series lads will have two races over the weekend (Friday and Saturday) – valuable mileage for those drivers on double duty – while there’s a packed support category with the Australian GTs, Touring Car Masters, Carrera Cup and V8 Utes.
There’s plenty to see over the weekend, then – not just the 1000kms on Sunday.
So whether you’re trackside or in front of the box for the big race, pack the esky/fridge with plenty of XXXX GOLDs, sit back and enjoy. Bathurst always delivers.
