The Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000's Fastest Facts

Hold On To These Nuggets


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If you're asking yourself geez, is it that time of the year already? Then the answer to that question is YES, it's time for Bathurst.

If you clicked on this story then there's a good chance you're keening up for a long armchair (or couch sesh) in front of the telly with a well stocked esky within arm's reach - the author is anyway.

But if you're reading this because you're the bloke who's more into his footy and just wants to sound like he knows a little bit about what he's talking about with his more in tune petrol head mates this weekend, then read on...

 

1. 2018 marks the 58th time there's been a big long race around the fabled Mount Panorama. The race started out life as the Armstrong 500 in 1963 before growing from 500 miles to a 1000 kilometre slog in 1973.

Two races were held in 1997 and '98 as the Super Tourers (think BMW, Volvo) got their own event.


2. The best place to start on the grid? Probably a dumb question but not necessarily...

The pole sitter's won the race 11 times but starting second has it perks, they've won this thing 11 times too.

Mind you, it's been nearly a decade since the last car to start at the front won Bathurst.


3. Grab the tissues, it's the 45th and final time Ford's Falcon races the Great Race before the Mustang makes its long awaited return next year.

The first Falcon was turned here in 1967 and was no slouch with the XR GT winning on debut in the capable hands of Harry Firth and Fred Gibson.

4. The tightest finish of any Bathurst 1000 happened only a couple of years ago when Will Davison and Shane van Gisbergen were separated by just 0.1434 seconds.

And no, we're not counting teammates formation finishes - sorry Mr Moffat.

5. The man with the most Bathurst starts is Steve Richards who's got 26 races to his name.

Coincidentally the bloke he's driving with - Craig Lowndes, has driven Bathurst one fewer time on 25.

Just 5 drivers have started more Great Races - Steve's old man Jim Richards, the late great Peter Brock, Colin Bond, Bruce Stewart and Bob Holden.

6. Four rookies are in the entry list this year but handily, all of them have raced at Mount Panorama and won't be relying on the simulator.

7. Of the 52 drivers suiting up this weekend, 14 have won a Bathurst 1000. The rest of them will be hoping for speed and more than a bit of race luck to get them to the top step of the podium on Sunday afternoon.

8. Garry Rogers isn't a man for bragging but this weekend marks his 700th Supercars championship race.

9. Safety cars are common in a race that can run as long as 7 or 8 hours and be filled with drama. The most safety car appearances in the 1000 was 13, which happened back in 2000.

10.Not many cars manage to finish on the lead lap at the end of a 1000 kilometre jaunt but 19 managed just that in 2010, which is a record.

H/T: Supercars.com

Sean Maynard

3 October 2018

Article by:

Sean Maynard




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