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2021 BATHURST 1000 GUIDE
WHO CAN BEAT GT AND THE GIZ? By Paul Gover, News Editor
Lots of confident rivals lining up for The Great Race
THE BATHURST 1000 is the Melbourne Cup of motorsport. Just like the horse racing classic, it is the race that intrigues the nation and it’s also the most difficult to win. In 2021, heading for the Bathurst 1000, newly crowned Supercars champion Shane van Gisbergen and his teak-tough co-driver Garth Tander are the popular pick to score back-to-back wins at Mount Panorama. But that’s not the end of the story... This year’s race throws up a few new challenges, the race being held in December and a post-midday start time is a little different. Also, there is potential for the weather to be a bit warmer than the usual early October date, fuelling chat about the potential extra heat of the day causing problems for the drivers, teams, and the race cars. However, the teams and cars are well equipped to handle the heat and drivers are fit as well as having cool suits, helmet and seat cooling to help them cope so it should all be ok if it is a little warmer. However, it’s not just heat that poses a threat, as we put this preview issue together there is the potential for some wet weather to hang around and any race at Bathurst in the wet is a challenge. Many of the teams have had to spend an extended time away from their home bases
and while it’s an inconvenience the teams are experienced with that issue now after racing around the country for the past 18 months, so it shouldn’t play a big part in the outcome. We have spoken to plenty of people up and down the pit lane as well as some very experienced former racers and observers to ask them how they see things playing out for the 2021 edition of the ‘Great Race’ and there seems to be a common theme… “I think anyone can be beaten at Bathurst,” says Will Brown, the newest sprint-race winner in Supercars. “We’re positive and feeling confident about Bathurst. I feel this year we (with Jack Perkins) can contend for a podium and possibly a win. “Driving for four weekends in a row in Sydney is always going to help. And we’ve been competitive all the way through. It’s been a really positive year for us.” David Reynolds, a past winner of the Bathurst 1000 with Luke Youlden, agrees. “Bathurst is Bathurst. It’s a unique race and its own standalone championship,” he tells Auto Action. “It’s the only race that can genuinely surprise you. You see people doing extraordinary things at Bathurst. “Shane has won the championship, so now
it’s all-on.” Even van Gisbergen admits his fantastic form through season 2021 is no guarantee in the Supercars grand final. “Obviously we have a pretty quick car this year and the same combination as last year. So we have as good a chance as anyone, but there are some fast cars this year,” van Gisbergen says. He points to his teammates at the Red Bull Ampol Racing team, Jamie Whincup and Craig Lowndes, as the most likely challengers. “We’re just going there purely for the race win with both cars. It will probably be more intense. But more enjoyable, I think,” he says. Without any championship pressure, van Gisbergen has a different approach to the Mount Panorama class. “It’s good. I’m relaxed about it now,” he says. “Probably the most relieved guy is Garth. He can go and do his own prep without worrying about the championship,” concluded van Gisbergen. But the rest of the field is pumped for the chance to have a crack at the champion in an all-or-nothing shootout. “Anyone can beat them,” Anton De Pasquale tells Auto Action.
The recent race winner, and qualifying star, has Tony D’Alberto alongside at Shell V-Power Racing and is much more comfortable than he was during his tough sprint-race effort at Bathurst earlier in the year. “A fast car wins the race,” he says bluntly. For Chaz Mostert, a past winner who lines up with Lee Holdsworth at Walkinshaw Andretti United, there are lots of factors in play. “There are plenty of combinations that can win this year. It’s up in the air and the weather could play a big part,” he tells Auto Action. “I would not be surprised to see more incidents this year. The conditions with the potential heat could be brutal. “It will be a fast pace and track position is everything. But expect more caution periods,” Mostert concluded. Whatever happens, Bathurst has a reputation for throwing up the unexpected. While on paper the Triple Eight Race Engineering #97 crew look like hot favourites, nothing is assured and there are plenty of other teams ready to step up. Despite what we thought last year, 2021 marks the real end for the Holden versus Ford battle. This year Holden teams will have extra motivation to go out as the last winner for the brand. By its very nature, this year’s race is going to be another classic, enjoy!
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GOODBYE
TO THE
GOAT Jamie Whincup is lining up for his final start in the main game of Supercars racing at Mount Panorama this weekend. He fell short of an eighth title in the Repco Supercars Championship but could easily increase his string of Bathurst victories before graduating to senior management at Triple Eight Racing Engineering in 2022. Whincup spoke to Auto Action’s Paul Gover about his career and what the future holds.
“When you’r you’ree old and on your deathbed it’s not about the rresults esults or rrecor ecords, ds, or how much money you’ve got in the bank, it’s about how much effor effortt has gone in.” 4 AutoAction
JAMIE WHINCUP is not thinking about the numbers as he prepares for his final main-game start in Supercars at the Repco Bathurst 1000. His numbers are clearly the best of anyone who has strapped into a Supercar, or any of the drivers who have raced and won through the 60-year history of the Australian Touring Car Championship, but Whincup is much happier to focus on the effort that is reflected in his towering totals. He is all about inputs, not outputs, and driving forward instead of looking in the rear-view mirror or wondering if he’s made the right decisions through his career. “When you’re old and on your deathbed it’s not about the results or records, or how much money you’ve got in the bank, it’s about how much effort has gone in,” Whincup tells Auto Action. “I’m not counting down. I’ll go and enjoy Bathurst. We don’t have to worry about the championship or anything now.” This year’s titles are a lock - again - for Whincup’s Red Bull Ampol Racing Team and his team-mate Shane van Gisbergen, but he says he is happy to finish his final season as a primary driver in the runner-up spot to a man who is leading a new generation of drivers into the next era of Supercars. “It was SvG’s championship from a while ago and it was only a question of time,” he says. “I like to think I went pretty hard, and threw everything at it. But I purely didn’t have enough race pace from my side of the garage.”
That’s a serious admission from Whincup, who has rarely admitted any weakness in the past, but he has changed through 2021. He is more considered, more presidential, more likely to comment about something beyond winning or losing and driving the car. Part of that change is down to retirement, part is down to his move up to the Managing Director’s job at Triple Eight in 2023, and some is also down to his personal life. Whincup has been with his partner Samantha for “about five years” and the couple are expecting a baby. Typically for the millimetre-perfect Whincup, he says the due date is “February 1, 2022”, not sometime next year, or early next year, or Feb. That’s the way he is and that’s the way he always will be. If you step into the T8 drivers’ lounge at the track, it’s obvious where Whincup sits. His space is ordered, clean and tidy. SvG? Not so much. Jamie and Samatha now live in Brisbane city, after a move from one of the gated communities on the northern Gold Coast that was conveniently close to his long-term office at Sanctuary Cove and his high-tech car wash business. “It’s closer to the workshop, and a bit of a change. So a combo of a few things,” Whincup says. He’s 38 now, not the kid who was recruited by Roland Dane as the apprentice to ‘The Master’, Craig Lowndes, in the early days of T8. Somewhere on the road he became equal to Lowndes, and then better, and
JAMIE WHINCUP
BY THE NUMBERS Age: Starts: Championships: Race wins: Podiums: Pole positions:
38 552 7 124 237 92
when he went past the championship totals of Mark Skaife, Dick Johnson and Ian ‘Pete’ Geoghegan - who each have five crowns - he was confirmed as the GOAT - Greatest Of All Time - in Supercars. “Lowndes was almost the benchmark at that stage. So I tried to get at least to his level in the first 12-18 months. “Then it was a case of getting to the next step, which I’d like to think I’ve found. “I don’t rate myself, either. There is no point. I let everybody else do that. When I started to win races I knew . . .” But, even as the GOAT, he has not sparked the same level of love that pours towards Johnson, or Allan Moffat, or any number of champions and Supercars notables. He is more in the Skaife mould, too focussed on racing and winning to waste time with autographs and - if they had been around - selfies. But Whincup plans to change things once has stopped driving. “Now I’ve finished up, maybe there is some time just to communicate with people. There is a big fan base that’s been around for 20 years, but I haven’t spent much time with them because I’ve had to compete. Other athletes have been totally dedicated to their career and I’m no different. “When you finish you’ve got a lot more time on your hands. More time to spend with people. You can actually communicate with people and spare five minutes with them. “That hasn’t been my style or strategy. I’m looking forward to that, instead of focussing and drilling-in on one thing, which is doing the best job.” Ask Whincup who he admires in motorsport and he is quiet. But he is happy to talk about tennis legend Roger Federer, who has been a long-time inspiration. “I never had a motorsport person to look up. But it was probably Roger. I really enjoyed the way he went about his sport and his craft. “I still enjoy the way he goes about his
Whincup on his way to his first win at Bathurst in 2006, a race he shared with Craig Lowndes in the Tripple Eight Falcon. 2006 was a big year which also delivered his first Supercars race win on the streets of Adelaide (below). Whincup has worked with some of the best engineers in the Supercars paddock, he is in discussion with David Cauchi (bottom).
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Whincup claimed his seventh and final Supercars Championship on the streets of Newcastle in dramatic fashion. Here he celebrates with the team.
A fourth place in China with Tasman Motorsport certainly caught the attention of the paddock in 2005.
sport. So, just the one.” What about his driving technique, which revolutionised Supercars when he found a way to pivot the back into corners like a giant go-kart? “I just experimented corner-to-corner and track-to-track, and worked out what worked for me in the result of the lap time,” he says. It’s time now to look back, something Whincup has never really done, to put his life in Supercars into focus. So, any regrets? “I don’t regret anything. I’m not sure why. But I try to make the best call I have with the info I have at the time.” What about the breakthrough win, when he knew he could be a contender? “I think fourth place at China (in 2005, when he was still driving for Tasman Motorsport) was a big deal for me. That’s when I knew if I had a good car I could drive as well as anyone. It was a bit of a breakthrough. “That was a big stage because everyone was watching that day. It was probably the result. We got lucky and we rolled out with a fast car and it was quick. ‘’Before then I didn’t know if I was going to be as quick as the other guys. Speed is what it’s all about. That’s the best strategy for most races as well. So it is key.” And his toughest win? “One that comes to mind was Tasmania
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in 2008. The round before I won the championship. “I had a completely de-laminated tyre with four laps to go. Todd Kelly was breathing down my neck and I just hung on to get home. “That had championship implications. That was the pivotal point in me winning my first championship.” What about the most satisfying victory? “There’s got to be something there. Gee, there’s been a few,” Whincup begins. “No, it’s got to be 2012, Adelaide. The Clipsal 500 on the Saturday. I had to do qualifying lap after qualifying lap to try
Whincup had a phenomenal year in 2012, he won the championship, the Bathurst 1000 and the Saturday race of the Clipsal 500 which he described as one of the best of his career. All achieved behind the wheel of ‘Kate,’ the most successful chassis in ATCC/Supercars history which he now owns.
In his second year at Bathurst, a young Whincup paired up with Garth Tander, the duo finished in 19th, 15 laps down.
and make a three-stop strategy work. “I got Davo (Will Davison) with half a lap to go.” Over his 20 years in Supercars he has faced, and beaten, a roll-call of race winners and champions. He’s also been trumped a few times, this year by van Gisbergen but also by Scott McLaughlin and even James Courtney. But who was the one that was toughest to top? “Going through, I don’t know who’s been tougher. But I had some big battles with Garth (Tander) early on, then Will Davo, and then Scotty Mac and, most recently SvG. “It was a long old grind there from 2016, ‘17, ‘18, ‘19, and ’20 with Scotty. We were still running into each other with a round to go. That was a really enjoyable, special rivalry. “I’m sure it would be the same with SvG if we weren’t in the same team.” What about a driver he never raced, who he would has liked to meet on the track? “Probably Jim Richards at his peak. I’ve got a lot of respect for Jimmy. “What really brought that on was when I watched him on television, when I was a kid, dominate in the Bob Jane T-Marts car in NASCAR one night. He was running a different line at the Thunderdome (Calder Park) and I was confused about why no-one else was adapting to what he was doing. “Then he jumped onto Bob Jane’s
helicopter and flew to a touring car race. I was massively impressed.” Now that retirement is real and now, Whincup admits it’s been coming for a while. But it wasn’t a lack of competitiveness, or tougher opposition, that triggered his thoughts about life beyond the driving seat. “It was the idea of going into management. I knew I wanted to continue racing, and I knew I couldn’t continue as a professional driver forever. So that’s how it all started,” Whincup begins. “It was probably four or five years ago. It was probably just before, or around the same time, as my last championship. “That was when I started having the thoughts. So it’s been a long time coming. It’s been a long-executed plan, it isn’t something that happened 10 minutes ago.” But what is he going to miss? “The competition. The pressure. I’m going to miss the pressure of competing. “I don’t think I will get that start line, or Top 10 shootout, or qualifying-lap pressure. You’ve got nerves for hours before those ones and you’re still buzzing for a long time afterwards. “It means everything to me, it’s huge. It’s a big toll on the body, but pressure is a privilege and unfortunately the majority of the population don’t experience it that often. “Anyone in top-level sport knows what I’m talking about. It’s not a nice feeling, but certainly something I will miss.” But there is still Bathurst this weekend, where Whincup will be going all-in for one last shot at The Great Race as the primary driver. “My whole focus will be on doing my best in my last race, the same as always,” he says. “I think I’ll try to ensure I’m in my zone, in the right zone. I won’t have time to think about what the race means and the moment that comes with my last race. “I’m very grateful of the recognition of my service, so to speak, but I’m going to be quite rude and selfish and focus on the job at hand.” But Bathurst 2021 is very unlikely to be the last start for the GOAT. He could do more GT racing with Triple Eight and he definitely wants to return to Mount Panorama, in the same way as Lowndes and Skaife and Tander, as a rock-solid co-driver. “That’s certainly what I want to do.
Whincup and Lowndes have won many races together, their most recent piece of silverware came when they won the Sandown 500 together in 2019.
That’s pencilled in, but I want to reserve the final call until I understand the workload next year. “It might allow time for me to do other activities and other driving, like the 12-Hour. I loved the GT racing I did in the Australian championship. “Trying to be the best racing driver in the country is unbelievably time consuming. Once eliminate that I’ve got more time for friends and family. And plenty of time to invest in my managing director role at Triple Eight. “We’re just trying to get the last one over the line.” Even so, Whincup is still young, still with lots to learn and lots to prove. There will be new challenges. He has already been pivoting that way through his final season, as he is more open and more engaging. He has things to say and he is happier to say them. But as he faces up to retirement after Bathurst, and the reality that his time as the benchmark in Supercars is done, how would he like to be remembered? “The one thing that sticks in my mind is just to keep it real. I like to think I’ve been myself and a real person, and kept it genuine. That means a lot to me. “I haven’t been fake or ripped anyone off. I’ve just been myself.”
JAMIE WHINCUP
THIS OR THAT? 1. Boxers or briefs? Briefs. 2. Neat freak or mess head? Neat freak. 3. Dog or cat? Dogs. 4. Call or txt? Call. 5. Form or function? Function. Something has to work well. 6. Cake or ice cream? Ice cream. Chocolate 7. Work hard or play hard? Work hard. Always. 8. AFL or rugby league? AFL 9. Toilet paper - under or over? Over. That’s the way it was homologated. 10. Coffee or tea? Tea. English Breakfast.
Jamie Whincup took his and Triple Eight Race Engineering’s first Supercars Championship in 2008 (left) Whincup celebrates with Team Principal Roland Dane. Whincup and teammate Shane van Gisbergen duelling for second at Sydney Motorsport Park.
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BATHURST 1000 GUIDE
BATHURST THROUGH The 2021 running of the classic Bathurst 1000 is the 59th edition of the car race that stops our nation. DAN McCARTHY looks back at the memorable moments from 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50 years ago
AS AUTO ACTION celebrates its 50th birthday on the eve of ‘The Great Race’ it’s a great time to look back at the Mount Panorama classic and how it has changed since the first edition of AA hit the streets in 1971. Back then, Bathurst was a torture test for Improved Production cars that were very closely tied to the showroom stars of the day. The track was not much more than a high-speed tourist road over the top of Mount Panorama, complete with wooden fences, fearsome drops and corners that punished anyone who made a mistake. The bitumen strip was narrow and edged with grass, without any of the safety – gravel traps and
concrete walls – we take for granted in 2021. Despite the changes, and the vast increase in the speed of purposebuilt Supercars racers, the DNA of Bathurst is essentially the same. It’s a full-day touring car battleground for the country’s most popular cars and drivers. The first big change in the Bathurst field came in 1973, when the Group C regulations and cars became much more racy. There were modifications for reliability and speed and, at the end of the era, the Bathurst contenders looked more like real racers with front spoilers, flared wheel arches and rear wings. So the class that started with GTHO Falcons racing XU-1 Toranas ended
with the iconic popping and banging VH Commodores and XE Falcons. It was classic heartland racing, with Ford against Holden every October on The Mountain. Things changed again for 1985 when the Australian Touring Car Championship was totally overhauled for Group A racing, a global platform that became the foundation for the World Touring Car Championship, and an influx of heavily-funded factory racing teams from the likes of BMW, Ford, Holden and even Mercedes-Benz. The homegrown Aussie Commodores and Falcons were forced into the back seat through to 1982, as the family Falcon was replaced by the compact
European Sierra turbo and the rival Commodore was made uncompetitive by restrictive rules. It was the time of the fiery Sierra RS, BMW’s M3, the unlikely Volvo 240T and then Godzilla – the Nissan GT-R that killed the category. For 1993, Group A was out and Australia returned to homegrown V8 muscle cars as the traditional battle of Ford against Holden, Blue Oval against the Red Lion, was renewed. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, as Holden began to dominate, there was a call for an equal platform and this resulted in the cars of Project Blueprint. They stayed for a decade as showroom stock became the V8-powered Supercars that race today.
showroom floor. Class D, for vehicles costing from $3,151 to $4,350, included the Holden Torana GTR XU-1, Chrysler Valiant Charger, Ford Falcon 500 GS and Alfa Romeo Giulia. Coming into the weekend the Bathurst 500 was predicted to be an incredibly tight battle between the brands but in qualifying the Phase IIIs locked out the top seven positions. Moffat took pole by 3 seconds, still the largest pole margin
in the race’s history. Leo Geoghegan was best of the rest in a Valiant Charger, a full 6.8 seconds slower than Moffat. The race itself was a Ford 1-2-3 sweep, as Phil Barnes and Bob Skelton shared the second-placed Ford with
1971 – MOFFAT DOUBLES DOWN THE GREAT race of the early 1970s was still run over 500 miles – or 804.67 kilometres – and Allan Moffat drove a full factory Falcon GT-HO to victory. His mount was the classic Phase III model and today a similar car with race history sells for more than $1 million. Although it was a long and gruelling day at Mount Panorama, there was no requirement for co-drivers. There were some two-member crews but Bruce
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McPhee, who won in 1969, only gave his co-driver a single lap as he dashed to the toilet and grabbed a quick snack. Moffat’s victory in the racer red Falcon was his second in a row and he was a full lap ahead of his nearest rival at the end of 130 laps of racing. This was an era when Ford, Holden and Chrysler – with its Valiant Charger slugged it out for the outright win, while many other brands including Toyota, Fiat, Mazda and Datsun fought individual battles for class wins. The classes were determined by price, with Class E – where Falcons totally dominated in ’71 – at the top for cars that cost more than $4,350 on the
THE DECADES
Images: Motorsport Images/Autopics.com.au
1981 – DICK GETS HIS FIRST WIN
Sydney car dealer David McKay in third. Colin Bond first non-Ford in a Torana fielded by Harry Firth and the Holden Dealer Team. The ’71 race is remembered for the infamous crash of Bill Brown at McPhillamy Park when a right-rear puncture on his Falcon slung him up a grass bank before he rolled along the top of a fence made from wooden railway sleepers. The car was almost cut in half and he was lucky to get out unharmed It took several minutes for Brown to be assisted from the wreckage as the race continued as if nothing had occurred. Fifty years ago, tyres and brakes were not what they are today and teams and drivers were forced to buy high-performance road parts – including brake pads and tyres - to fit to the racers. These were often the limiting factors of a car’s ultimate performance and would often prove decisive in the lower classes over the race distance. This was the case in 1971, the factory Mazda Dealers Capella crashed due to lack of brakes at the end of Conrod Straight. In Class B, Datsun credited its low-profile Bridgestone tyres for a victory over Mazda which ran on road-style radial tyres.
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AFTER THE devastation of the ‘Rock’ incident in 1980, when Dick Johnson crashed out of an early lead in his thundering XD Falcon, the laconic Queenslander and his rock-solid co-driver John French rebounded to win the 1981 Bathurst 1000. Now a 1000-kilometre race run over 163 laps – but still on the old course without The Chase - the race had taken a massive leap in professionalism and pace. Even in wet conditions in qualifying the cars were still faster than Allan Moffat’s pole time a decade earlier. “There were rock walls, there was no wall on the left-hand side over Skyline, there was none of that sort of stuff, no chicane down the straight and the dipper was twice as deep,” Johnson recalled to Auto Action. The international interest in the race, which started when Le Mans champion Jacky Ickx won with Moffat in 1977, was building into the 1980s. Bob Morris imported sports car expert John Fitzpatrick, Moffat had former F1 driver and Le Mans winner Derek Bell, and even the then-reigning Formula 1 World Champion Alan Jones returned home for race. By 1981 there was a much simpler class structure for Bathurst, with one class for eight cylinders and over, one for six cylinders and rotary, and the other for four-cylinder machines. It was an incredibly close race in the early stages as Peter Brock in a VC Commodore fought against Johnson and Morris in XD Falcons, followed by Kevin Bartlett in a Chevrolet Camaro and Moffat, now in a howling little Mazda RX-7, never far away.
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Bartlett who took pole position, but was knocked out of contention after a collision with a back marker caused by fading brakes on the big blue Camaro, as Johnson explains how lapping back-markers was a challenge in the 80s. “The most notable thing was the speed differential, down Conrod Straight,” he says. “Some of the Corollas and even slower cars were a problem, but it was something we used to deal with. “That was when we used to have around 55 starters. “Some of the poor buggers used to spend more time looking in the mirror than they did forward, their arms waving out the window over the roof, all sorts of things to say ‘Pass me on this side’. “The worst part about it was there was never any defined rule of which way you would indicate, and everyone was different, it was a bit of a lottery when you went to pass them.” Back then, less than half of the field that started would greet the chequered flag thanks to inevitable mechanical failures and crashes. “The thing is, even back then with the XD you’d have to look after the car because otherwise they’d break. Today it’s just a flat-out bloody race,” he says. “Supercars are purpose-built race cars, what we had were bloody family sedans that were hotted up. “As far as professional teams go there were very few back then, other than the Holden Dealer Team, it was survival of the fittest back then.”
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Johnson explained about the pressure that was on his shoulders after the crash with ‘The Rock’ and the fact that thousands of people had pledged money totalling $84,000. “81 was probably the most difficult year of my motor racing career for the simple reason that when you have that many people the year before that put their trust in you, - I’m not the sort of person to take the money and run there was that much pressure that I had to do something. “It was motivation for me to make sure that we went somewhere with it and it fortunately it fell our way.” He took victory when the race was red flagged after a multi-car pile-up at the top of The Mountain on lap 121.
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1991 – GODZILLA CONQUERS THE MOUNTAIN
BY 1991, the Group A era was in full swing at Bathurst and the cars reflected a set of regulations that were incredibly popular internationally and had been imported to Australia in 1985. Despite its initial local success, with factory BMWs and a huge horde of locally-built Sierra turbos and the occasional Volvo, Group A became hated due to the domination of the Nissan Skyline R32 GT-R, dubbed by Wheels magazine as ‘Godzilla’ in a nickname which went around the world. The turbocharged and all-wheel drive Nissan won three straight touring car titles from 1990 with Jim Richards and Mark Skaife, and also became the first Japanese brand to conquer the mountain. Twice. Following the dominance of the Sierras – the best of them in Shell colours with Dick Johnson and John Bowe – the GT-R struggled at first because of its complexity. But once Fred Gibson and his crew, with help from the USA, got on top of the car and developed a bunch of local components it was up and running. Its debut year was 1990s and in 1991 Richards and Skaife won all but two races. In the Group A era parity was not spoken about, as each car achieved its speed very differently. The BMW M3 was agile at tight and technical circuits, with great brakes, and won the other two races that year. “I suppose you could say that they were probably just about equal on horsepower (with the Sierras), but probably not quite,” Richards tells Auto Action. “The Nissan had
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the four-wheel drive, which was brilliant, it had good brakes and not a bad weight.” “In the Group A era, each car the manufacturer had homologated to run was very different. Each car that the manufacturers homologated had a certain strong and weak point. “The Sierra’s strong point was that they weighed around 1200 kilos and they had 650 horsepower. But the downside was that they only put it through two not-that-big tyres on the road. “The GTR was a lot heavier, about the same power, but it had four-wheel-drive. This meant it could keep its lap times up for a whole stint, where the Sierras would burn their tyres out as the race went on. “The M3s were nimble, high revving, high tech, but put them up at Bathurst and they didn’t have a chance because of the power of the Sierras and Nissans.” The rampaging Nissans were not popular with Aussie fans and this was the main reason for the move away from the Group A regulations. And the cost of competing with high-tech imported cars. “I didn’t think the reception was too bad in 91 but I could be mistaken, it was nothing like 1992,” Richards laughs. The 1991 running of the classic 1000 was the last time that any combination won the race by a lap, after Skaife took pole by 1.2 seconds with the nearest non-Nissan 2.2 seconds back. By 1991, ‘The Chase’ has been added, creating a new challenge for drivers and also shortening the incredibly long Conrod Straight to 1.9 kilometres. As the track was longer the race was reduced to 161 laps. Concrete walls now ringed the track with no risk of falling off the edge of the road or hitting trees, and there were still three classes, with the lowest and slowest dominated by baby Toyota Corollas.
2001 – RED LION RAMPAGE
EVERYTHING CHANGED through the next decade as the race became a straight heartland battle between Ford and Holden. There were no supporting classes, just the rampaging V8s, and the race had developed into the style of combat we know today. The rivalry between Ford and Holden was as strong as it had been in the 1970s, but Holden was clearly on top and the factory Holden Racing Team dominated thanks to its star drivers Craig Lowndes and then former Nissan winner Mark Skaife. But there was a surprise in 2001, as Skaife and Tony Longhurst – a former winner in a Sierra who was recruited to share the HRT Holden – were unexpectedly challenged by the Falcon of Brad Jones and Scotsman John Cleland, a BTCC star who made many trips down under for Bathurst. The race was no longer about nursing the cars’ brakes and componentry to the finish and the final three hours were now a flat-out sprint. In the end, and despite an overheating problem that had Longhurst pleading with team boss Kim Jones to call off an epic battle, the HRT duo prevailed by just 2.28 seconds. “I’m 100 per cent confident in this answer that, from 1993 (the first year of the Group 3A regulations) onwards, it was a sprint race,” Skaife explains to Auto Action. “I remember driving the car pretty much as hard as you could drive for most of the day. “It wasn’t a complete sprint race, look, it’s not a complete sprint race now, anybody that tells you
BATHURST 1000 GUIDE
2011 – THE ROOKIE AND THE PRO
that’s kidding themselves. “In the early parts of the day, you have to get all your stops out of the way and have to look after the fuel economy. That hasn’t really changed very much because that’s how it was in the mid-90s. “From the start of this category, we worked out pretty quickly that you needed to have the best car within a couple of hours of the end, and that’s how you that’s how you went about winning.” The early noughties became a battle between the VX Commodore and the wide-eyed AU Falcon, and it was the General who was very much coming out on top. Holden had now won three consecutive Bathurst 1000 races and four championships, and this domination continued into 2002. In 2001 and 2002 Skaife raced the now famous ‘Golden Child,’ a Holden Racing Team-built VX Commodore chassis which could not be stopped. “We did quite a lot of work on making sure that that was going to be a better car than the previous one, there was always a lot of thinking around what you would do to improve it,” Skaife recalls. “We did a lot of thinking and there was a lot of stuff around torsional rigidity, seating position and the way that the steering column actuation worked. “It’s my favourite car because, obviously, the results. It ended up having a halo around because it ended up winning to two Bathursts, two championships and two Clipsals, it was a sensational car.”
AFTER THE never-ending HRT domination, and to even the competition between Ford and Holden, the rules were changed again as Project Blueprint regulations were introduced for 2003. It worked incredibly well and, over the 10 seasons, six drivers’ titles went to the ‘Blue Oval’ and four to ‘The General’. However, the balance of power was different at Bathurst as Holden won seven 1000s to just three for Ford. The 2011 season was the penultimate year of the regulations, the field was closer than ever, and in provisional qualifying before the Top 10 shoot-out just one second covered the top 17 cars. By the end of the race there were also nine different teams in the top 10 finishers, but with Garth Tander in front in a HRT Commodore with rookie Nick Percat sharing the driving. “You get to the end of the rule set, everyone knows those cars inside out. Everyone knows how to get the most out of them, it was competitive,” race winner Garth Tander recalls to Auto Action. “That’s always the way when you get towards the end of a (good) ruleset that’s been existing for a long period of time. Triple Eight were fast, Stones (Stone Brothers Racing) was fast, GRM (Garry Rogers Motorsport) was fast, FPR (Ford Performance Racing) was fast, our cars were pretty good. Tander believes that, 10 years ago, there was actually more tech that would become beneficial in the later stages of the race. “There was probably more tricks you could do back then as far as getting fuel economy, a few more gizmo’s in the car back then, that made the race interesting,” he says. But for 2010 there was a new rule that two full-time drivers could not share a car in the Bathurst 1000. It was designed to stop domination by a handful of teams and even the field.
This has altered strategy in the last decade as teams in the early stages of the race are now trying to tick off the co-drivers’ mandatory 54 laps as early as legally possible. “The fact that we’ve got more cars that are capable of winning the race is better,” Tander feels. “Back in the day, when this was a different type of race when it was more of a pilgrimage for privateers, the two primary drivers getting together was fine. “But as the race has evolved over the journey, and there are less cars are in the race, this adds another layer of complexity and another layer of intrigue to it as well. “You became more mindful of making sure the co-drivers are comfortable in the car once we went to the primary driver and secondary driver format. “It probably changed the mindset a little bit about how you went about setting up the car, but in reality it was probably not a lot different as far as when we had two primary drivers.” Early in the race Percat clouted the wall at Griffin’s Bend and was lucky not to suffer damage before he handed the car back to Tander for the heavy lifting. At the end of the race it was a showdown between Tander and Lowndes. The latter was hounding the HRT Commodore for lap after lap but was unable to make his way by despite his best efforts, particularly on the final lap. Tander’s winning margin of 0.2917 seconds still remains the second closest (non-formation) finish in Bathurst 500-1000 history.
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BATHURST 1000 GUIDE WHO IS IN IT TO WIN IT?
It looks a lot easier to predict in 2021 thanks to the absolute domination through the Supercars championship by Shane van Gisbergen, who is re-joined at Mount Panorama by Garth Tander. The pair are the defending Bathurst champions and the most likely winners. But the four-weekend sprint-race wrap at Sydney Motorsport Park also shows there are at least five other solid contenders - from Erebus and Shell V-Power Racing. The most recent racing has helped set the form guide for the big one. Instead of rating the chances of a win, this year PAUL GOVER and DAN McCARTHY rate out of 10 the contenders as potential finishers on the podium on Sunday afternoon.
WINNERS AND WANNABES Luff is proven on the podium but he’s in the second-string WAU Commodore and Fullwood has struggled to make an impact this year.
6.5
Proven Bathurst speed at the start of the season but still not quite in the front battle group.
7
2 Bryce Fullwood/Warren Luff Walkinshaw Andretti United – Commodore
3 Tim Slade/Tim Blanchard Blanchard Racing Team – Mustang
After a rollercoaster couple of years with Walkinshaw Andretti United former Super2 Series winner Bryce Fullwood will be looking to end his tenure with the team on a high. With four top 10 finishes this year, Fullwood has shown great pace at times. The Territorian certainly has a reliable co-driver to lean on in six-time Bathurst 1000 podium finisher Warren Luff. Last year Luff finished on the podium with Chaz Mostert and would definitely be targeting a top 10 this year.
A very experienced duo, the Tim X2 have many years of Supercars knowledge under their belts. For Slade it will be his 13th Bathurst 1000 and Blanchard his 11th. This year saw the formation of the single car Blanchard Racing Team and throughout the year Slade has performed very well over the long runs with excellent tyre life and notably on debut at Bathurst earlier this year Slade qualified on the front row. Watch for this pair to be in the top 10 late on.
Engineer Terry Kerr
An earthquake that swallows the front half of the field would help their chances
3
Engineer Mirko De Rosa
Not much experience but Le Brocq has shown some recent speed.
5
4 Jack Smith/David Wall Brad Jones Racing – Commodore
5 Jack Le Brocq Zak Best Tickford Racing – Mustang
Unlikely to be podium contenders, Jack Smith and David Wall will be targeting a top 15 finish. Ash Walsh was set to drive alongside full-time driver Smith, however issues with the COVID-19 borders saw Carrera Cup front-runner and a former Supercars driver Wall rushed in to fill the vacant seat. For Wall it will be his first Bathurst 1000 since 2017 when he teamed up with Rick Kelly in the Nissan Altima.
Jack Le Brocq’s two-year tenure at Tickford has been full of highs and lows, highlighted by a maiden win at Sydney Motorsport Park in 2020. Le Brocq heads into Bathurst with several top 10 finishes in the books at SMP and will be joined this year by Tickford Racing protégé Zak Best. The young Victorian is the only driver this year making his Bathurst 1000 debut, but is certainly no stranger to a Supercar, sitting second in the Super2 Series.
Engineer Paul Forgie
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Engineer Sam Scaffidi
A definite podium chance and could definitely get to the top.
8
6 Cameron Waters/James Moffat Tickford Racing –Mustang Engineer Sam Potter
A great combination, Cameron Waters and James Moffat will be a duo to look out for. If they stay out of trouble they will be contenders for not only a podium, but a win. Waters finished second last year, less than a second shy of the winners, while his new teammate Moffat was given the role of finishing the race against the regulars drivers. Waters was ultra-fast at The Mountain earlier in the year and will be a winning contender with Moffat.
6
Missing the X-factor to contend from the start.
The best of the BJR combinations could easily bag a podium
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7 Andre Heimgartner/Matt Campbell Kelly Grove Racing – Mustang
8 Nick Percat/Dale Wood Brad Jones Racing – Commodore
Andre Heimgartner has been extremely fast at times this season and will be looking to end his four-year term with the Braeside operation on a high. The Kiwi will be joined by Bathurst 12 Hour winner and Le Mans class winner Matt Campbell who has not raced a Supercar since 2017. Heimgartner has always shown his exceptional skill in the rain, taking a win in tricky conditions at The Bend earlier in the year, this pair will be contenders if it is wet on Sunday.
After five years with Brad Jones Racing, Nick Percat will move on after the Bathurst 1000. BJR always performs well in long distance races, particularly the Bathurst 1000 due to well-known BJR strategy calls. Percat always lifts his game when he gets to Bathurst, a winner on debut Percat has finished on the podium twice since. This year Percat will be joined by Supercars veteran Dale Wood and will likely be in the top 10 late on.
Engineer Dilan Talabani
6
Nice guys but unlikely to challenge
Engineer Andrew Edwards
Brown’s breakthrough is creating expectations.
8
14 Todd Hazelwood/Dean Fiore Brad Jones Racing – Commodore
9 Will Brown/Jack Perkins Erebus Motorsport – Commodore
Another mixture of youth and experience, South Australian Todd Hazelwood has shown great pace at times this year, but luck has not gone his way when an opportunity has presented itself. Like Percat he will be keen to end his time at BJR on a high and will be joined by the always reliable Dean Fiore. Although an unlikely podium contender, the #14 duo will be expected to be around the top 10 late in the day.
Will Brown has had an exceptional rookie campaign, highlighted by a win at Sydney Motorsport Park. He will be joined by the similarly sized Jack Perkins who finished on the podium with James Courtney in 2019, and Perkins will be keen to replicate that with the rising force that is Erebus Motorsport. The Victorian team has returned to form in 2021, the Brown and Perkins combination is one that contains both youth and experience and is a dark horse.
Engineer Tony Woodward
Engineer Tom Moore
Need a faster car than last year, but will be in the battle pack.
8.5
11 Anton De Pasquale/Tony D’Alberto Dick Johnson Racing – Mustang Engineer Ludo Lacroix
Anton De Pasquale, Tony D’Alberto and engineer Ludo Lacroix will undoubtably be contenders to win the Bathurst 1000 this year. While D’Alberto may not be quite as quick as Garth Tander for example, the former full-time driver is a very safe and reliable pair of hands. When De Pasquale raced for team at Bathurst earlier in the year, he was new to outfit and the car, but over recent events has come on leaps and bounds taking five of the last 10 Supercars Championship races.
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13
Should sneak a podium but missing the last bit of speed
8
Another veteran pairing who know how to do the job.
7.5
17 Will Davison/Alex Davison Dick Johnson Racing – Mustang
18 Mark Winterbottom/Michael Caruso Team 18 – Commodore
Originally it was hoped that Will Davison would race with Scott McLaughlin in the #17 Dick Johnson Racing car, but due to border issues and IndyCar commitments Davison will be joined by his brother Alex. While disappointed to not get McLaughlin, Alex Davison is still a handy replacement with 17 ‘Great Race’ starts. The brothers have paired up four times previously finishing as high as fourth. This is their best chance of achieving a podium and indeed the victory together.
Mark Winterbottom and Michael Caruso, a very underrated duo. Winterbottom a former Great Race winner, Caruso a former podium finisher and recent full-time driver. As they did in 2020, Team 18 has shown great race pace but still has a qualifying weakness. Earlier this year Bathurst was an exception to the rule, Winterbottom qualified in the top 10 and raced there all weekend. If this form can be replicated Winterbottom and Caruso will be podium contenders.
Engineer Richard Harris
Recent form has been lacklustre but better
4
Engineer Manuel Sanchez
A good outside bet for a podium.
8
19
20 Scott Pye/James Golding Team 18 Holden – Commodore
Team Sydney has shown a form upturn in recent events, however it is difficult to see ex-DJR driver Fabian Coulthard and former Bathurst 1000 winner Jonathon Webb being contenders for a Bathurst podium. As a team still in its infancy that is looking to improve year on year, last year Webb alongside main driver Alex Davison finished 12th, this year he and Coulthard will be targeting a top 10.
Another strong Team 18 pairing, two-time Bathurst 1000 runner-up Scott Pye will be joined by former Garry Rogers Motorsport Supercars driver come S5000 front-runner James Golding. Last year Golding paired up with Mark Winterbottom and the duo finished in eighth position, while Pye finished in sixth with Dean Fiore. At the age of 25 Golding is a young but yet experienced co-driver, Pye and Golding are certainly a dark horse for a podium.
Fabian Coulthard/Jonathon Webb Team Sydney Commodore Engineer Geoffrey Slater
Not enough speed for the big one.
6
Engineer Phil Keed
Definitely in the mix and should podium
8
22 Garry Jacobson/Dylan O’Keeffe Team Sydney – Commodore
25 Chaz Mostert/Lee Holdsworth Walkinshaw Andretti United – Commodore
This year will be Garry Jacobson’s fifth straight Bathurst 1000 and he will be joined by TCR front-runner Dylan O’Keeffe who made his Bathurst debut last year. O’Keeffe will no doubt be able to mix it amongst many of the co-drivers up and down the lane. In the latter stages of the race we doubt that the #22 Team Sydney machine will have the legs to keep up with the top 15, something that will be a target for the pair.
Undoubtably Chaz Mostert and Lee Holdsworth are one of the strongest pairings this year. Holdsworth is dependable, quick and still race sharp having contested the TCR Australia Series. This will be Holdsworth’s first season as a co-driver since the 2005 Bathurst 1000. Mostert has shown through the year that Walkinshaw Andretti United has made a leap forward, taking a couple of race wins and regular podiums. This pair undoubtably go to ‘The Mountain’ targeting a win.
Engineer Mark Robinson
A proven race winning combination, but …
7
26 David Reynolds/Luke Youlden Kelly Grove Racing – Mustang Engineer Alistair McVean
A Bathurst 1000 winning pair reunited… Luke Youlden re-joins David Reynolds for the Bathurst 1000 at a new home in Kelly Grove Racing. The pair won together in 2017 and nearly went back-to-back in 2018, before cramping issues for Reynolds late on robbed the duo of victory. The race in 2017 was one of the wettest in the events history, rain is a possibility this weekend, if so this pair could very easily find themselves on the podium.
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Engineer Adam Deborre
Not enough of the good stuff for success
5
34
Jake Kostecki/Kurt Kostecki Matt Stone Racing – Commodore Engineer Tim Newton
Brothers Jake and Kurt Kostecki will race together in the Bathurst 1000 for the first time. Both have experience behind the wheel in the Supercars Championship this year competition. Jake has raced full-time for Matt Stone Racing, while his brother Kurt contested three rounds as a ‘Wildcard’ with Walkinshaw Andretti United. This will put the team in good stead as co-driver laps have been hard to come by this season due to COVID-19, the pair will be targeting a top 15 finish.
BATHURST 1000 GUIDE 5
Goddard can be quick but this pairing lacks experience
6
Best story in town, but unlikely for a happy ending.
35 Zane Goddard/Jayden Ojeda Matt Stone Racing – Commodore
39 Broc Feeney/Russell Ingall Triple Eight Race Engineering – Commodore
Zane Goddard and Jayden Ojeda, two young guns are back for their second crack at ‘The Mountain’ this year. In 2020 Ojeda was drafted in last minute to race in the Garry Rogers Motorsport ‘Wildcard’ entry, while Zane Goddard teamed up with Jake Kostecki in the Superlite Matt Stone Racing car. The MSR Commodores have certainly made a leap forwards this year, knocking on the door of the top 10 regularly.
The Wildcard, and boy is it a Wildcard… 57-year-old, two-time winner Russell Ingall is back to team up with 19-year-old Broc Feeney. Driving a Triple Eight Racing built Commodore, the machine will no doubt be more than capable of winning, but what about the drivers? Feeney is stepping up as Jamie Whincup’s replacement in the main game and will lead the duo. In a Triple Eight machine Feeney would be expected to have top 10 pace, as for Ingall, Triple Eight seem pleased with his testing pace.
Engineer Jack Bellotti
7
Needs to be faster than recently but not without some hope
44 James Courtney/Thomas Randle Tickford Racing – Mustang
Engineer Martin Short
8.5
Could easily produce a fairytale ending for the GOAT.
88 Jamie Whincup/Craig Lowndes Triple Eight Race Engineering – Commodore
Engineer Brad Wischusen
A great duo, a former champion and the reigning Super2 Series winner, James Courtney and Thomas Randle will be teammates full-time at Tickford Racing next year. Courtney was the only Tickford Racing driver to finish in the top 10 in dry conditions at Sydney Motorsport Park and will look to keep that momentum going. Randle as a co-driver would be immensely beneficial, almost a number one driver, this pair will be targeting a podium with Tickford’s strong pace this season.
6
Nice guys very rarely finish first
Engineer Wes McDougall
In his final full-time Supercars appearance Jamie Whincup teams up with Craig Lowndes once again, between them they have won 11 Bathurst 1000s, winning together from 2006-2008. They are just one of two co-driver combinations to remain the same. Lowndes has kept himself active and race sharp by racing in the Carrera Cup Series. It is impossible to rule out this duo out of contention for victory and would expect a podium at the very least.
8
Definitely have podium potential
96 Macauley Jones/Chris Pither Brad Jones Racing – Commodore
99 Brodie Kostecki/David Russell Erebus Motorsport – Commodore
A line-up where the co-driver Chris Pither has more experience at Bathurst than main driver Macauley Jones. Pither is an underrated co-driver having finished fourth in the ‘Great Race’ alongside Dale Wood in 2017 and sixth the following year with Garth Tander at Garry Rogers Motorsport. It would be unlikely to see this car fighting for a podium, but a top 10 result is not out of the question.
Rising star Brodie Kostecki and David Russell appear to be an odd duo, but once again is a good mixture of youth and experience. Brodie Kostecki returns to the place at which he made a name for himself last year when he pushed Jamie Whincup into an unforced error early in the race. Russell has not had too much luck in recent years, his last top 10 coming in 2016. If this duo are in the fight late in the race don’t be surprised to see Kostecki bring home a top five.
Engineer Tom Wettenhall
Engineer George Commins
They have it all and they want it all.
9.5
97 Shane van Gisbergen/Garth Tander
Triple Eight Race Engineering – Commodore Engineer David Cauchi
The bookies favourites, the reigning champions, Shane van Gisbergen and Garth Tander. It is very hard to look past this pair. Van Gisbergen has had the season of his career to date winning 14 of the 30 races so far. Tander is tough and Van Gisbergen goes in with no pressure having wrapped up his second Supercars Championship at Sydney Motorsport Park. After last year the pair know what they need to do and with their experience will be ready for everything ‘The Mountain’ throws at them.
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BATHURST 1000 GUIDE
EXPERTS GO FOR A BATHURST REPEAT Van Gisbergen and Tander the unbackable favourites By Paul Gover, News Editor Last year’s winners, Shane van Gisbergen and Garth Tander, are oddson favourites for a repeat result in the Repco Bathurst 1000 of 2021. An exclusive Auto Action poll gives them an unbackable advantage over the rest of the pack, with everyone from former winners and television anchors picking them to win The Great Race. Only two of the crew polled ahead of the Mount Panorama classic have gone against the favourites and Seven Network anchor Mark Beretta has the reason. “They are the power team. Van Gisbergen is unstoppable, GT is a rock-solid co-driver and the team rarely make mistakes,” Beretta tells Auto Action. “They will be the team to catch, all day.” Beretta is even going for a Red Bull 1-2, backing Jamie Whincup for a podium at his last appearance at Bathurst as a Primary Driver. “A highly skilled and experienced pairing. A solid combo, backed up by a gun team. Fast and reliable, and importantly, mountain smart.” Like many other tipsters, Beretta is turning to the Shell V-Power squad for his final top tip. “Anton De Pasquale and Tony D’Alberto. They should start near the front and stay there. Anton has great pace, and backed a reliable co-driver and a high performing team, they’re a good thing for a spot on the podium.” Kevin Bartlett is a former Bathurst winner, a close watcher of Supercars, and one of the all-time toughest markers in the game. He is going against the favourites with Anton De Pasquale and Tony D’Alberto. “People say it’s a lottery these days, but I don’t think that’s the case. The cars are so close and everybody is so switched on,” Bartlett says. “It’s going to be so mixed. I think it’s pure guesswork. I’ve gone with young De Pasquale and D’Alberto. “I put Tander and van Gisbergen in second because they are both good. I think the two Davisons will work together really well, and Will seems to hang in there. He has the odd car problem, and a bit of a whinge now and then, but sometimes justifiably. “I’d put Winterbottom and Caruso them in for a place if I was betting, although doubt they will win it.” Bathurst legends Allan Moffat and Fred Gibson sat down together for their predictions, which are a combination of recent form and sentiment. Considering their Ford roots, even though Gibson became a Bathurst winning team boss with Nissan, it’s no surprise to see them also picking De Pasquale and D’Alberto.
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Kevin Bartlett, Bathurst winner
1. Anton De Pasquale - Tony D’Alberto 2. Shane van Gisbergen - Garth Tander 3. Will Davison - Alex Davison Bolter: Mark Winterbottom - Michael Caruso. “De Pasquale has good form and D’Alberto is solid.”
“Bathurst should and could throw up some surprise results but, given the truncated season, I think the top three teams will be the ones that fill the podium.”
Mark Beretta, Seven anchor
1. Shane van Gisbergen - Garth Tander 2. Jamie Whincup - Craig Lowndes 3. Anton De Pasquale - Tony D’Alberto. Bolter: Will Brown - Jack Perkins “The Erebus team has real podium potential. Will has shown he has the pace, and Jack is a great choice as co-driver. They’ll be gunning for the big names and, with that Erebus determination and passion, they’re a good bet for a podium finish.
Garry Rogers, veteran team boss
1. Shane van Gisbergen - Garth Tander 2. Cam Waters - James Moffat 3. Brodie Kostecki - Dave Russell Bolter: Scott Pye and James ‘Bieber’ Golding “Barring mechanical mishaps, Shane and Garth will get it. Obviously they are the best. When Pye is on the game and not worrying about his other businesses he can really drive and Bieber is bloody good.”
Alan Gow, British Touring Car Championship supremo and former Peter Brock team boss 1. Shane van Gisbergen - Garth Tander 2. Cam Waters - James Moffat 3. Anton De Pasquale - Tony D’Alberto Bolter: James Courtney (of course) Thomas Randle
Kevin Fitzsimons: Dunlop Motorsport
1. Shane van Gisbergen - Garth Tander 2. Jamie Whincup - Craig Lowndes 3. Chaz Mostert - Lee Holdsworth Bolter: Anton De Pasquale - Tony D’Alberto “Shane is driving so well at the moment, and the championship will be over, so it’s going to be a free-for-all at Bathurst.
Bill Gibson: Gibson Freight guru
1. Shane van Gisbergen - Garth Tander 2. Nick Percat - Dale Wood 3. Jamie Whincup - Craig Lowndes Bolter: Will Brown - Jack Perkins “It’s been such a disruptive season and Bathurst won’t be any different.”
Allan Moffat - Fred Gibson, Bathurst legends 1. Anton De Pasquale - Tony D’Alberto 2. Shane van Gisbergen - Garth Tander 3. Will Brown - Jack Perkins Bolter: Cam Waters - James Moffat “The young blokes are going well this year. We have to put James in there.”
Peter Hughes: ace motorsport artist
1. Shane van Gisbergen - Garth Tander 2. Cam Waters - James Moffat 3. Anton de Pasquale - Tony D’Alberto Bolter: Nick Percat - Dale Wood “I think Shane has got probably the quickest car, although Waters at Tickford and the DJR Mustangs will be just as quick. But Shane has the nous and he has Garth, and the beauty of Tander is that he is almost like a fulltimer.
Colin Bond: Supercars Hall of Famer
1. Shane van Gisbergen 2. Jamie Whincup - Craig Lowndes 3. Anton De Pasquale - Tony D’Alberto Bolter: Scott Pye - James Golding “Van Gisbergen has won everything else this year, so unless he runs out of fuel he probably won’t be beaten.”
HOW TO (ALMOST) WIN BATHURST Heading to Bathurst, veteran co-driver Warren Luff knows how to finish on the podium By Paul Gover IN THE world of Bathurst co-drivers, Warren ‘Wazza’ Luff stands out on his own. Apart from Glenn Seton, who never won the big one, he has come closest the most often to claiming the grand final. Luff has become the Mount Panorama specialist over the past decade, despite a failure to break through as a main-game driver, and is seen as a lucky charm by a lot of teams and drivers. From 20 starts in ‘The Big One he has six podiums, with two seconds and four third-placed results. He has many special memories, but one stands out. “My first podium in 2012 with Craig Lowndes was a special time in my life. To step out with Craig is very special,” Luff says. “That will always be my favourite podium. Until I win it, obviously.” He tells Auto Action he takes a simple approach to success at Mount Panorama. “You have to turn your ego off. Absolutely. Bathurst is 161-lap race, not an audition for Supercars next year. “At the end of the day, the co-driver’s job is not to win you the race, but not to lose it. “I wouldn’t say I’m lucky. I don’t do
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anything differently when I’m at Bathurst. “It’s just that it is one of those events where there is no substitute for hard work. And you need a little bit of luck to go your way.” Luff has never relied on luck, preferring talent, and hard work and networking, to advance his career. He was a speedy one-make specialist as a youngster, something he still uses as a stand-out guest driver in the Toyota 86 Series, but never got a clear shot at the main game in Supercars. Dick Johnson Racing was at one of its lowest points when he raced alongside Steven Johnson, then he was with the under-resourced Britek and Lucas Dumbrell squads. But Luff lit up when he was given the chance as a long-distance co-driver, racing successfully with a series of top teams including Triple Eight. This year he is with Walkinshaw Andretti United, a move that would originally have paired him with Chaz Mostert before Lee Holdsworth became available. So the relaxed and confident 45-year-old is jumping in alongside Bryce Fullwood for his final start at WAU. “This will be my 20th start. Well, I’ve been there 20 times but only started 19 times,” Luff laughs, recalling a giant
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Warren ‘Wazza’ Luff has plenty of Bathurst trophies to admire including a second place he shared with Scott Pye in 2017. For a guy who is very much a part timer these days, his results are rock solid. He has another great chance to be on the podium this year again with Bryce Fullwood and WAU .
practice crash that still makes Bathurst highlights reels. “In 2014 we had brake failure on Saturday in the HRT car, I went up on my side and hit Craig.” “Last year I was third with Chaz at Tickford.” Luff has often started at Bathurst, with the popular tactic of saving the lead driver for the final sprint to the flag. “The race is won in the last stint, so your job is to keep the car in the best condition and best position you can and then let the main guy do the glory work at the end,” he says. “I’ve been very lucky with most of the guys I’ve been with, because we’ve been not too different in height or weight. Even when there’s a difference in height, it’s finding the compromise that works for both. “But you have to keep in mind that the main driver can be in car for up to a triple stint, so their comfort comes first. They cannot win if they are cramping with 20 laps to go. “It’s interesting the things you learn along the way from different guys. And it’s all about learning and improving yourself to be better the following year. “In a normal year, even things like ride days are important to get comfortable and learn all the things you need, like
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the controls on the steering wheel, just to be comfortable when you’re driving.” Luff feels confident heading into this year’s race and believes he has faced every challenge. “I’ve probably started more times than I haven’t, because in recent years there has been a trend for co-drivers to start. Last year I started third on the grid and was mainly out there with primary drivers. “Then it’s about controlling the emotion of the moment and no doing anything silly in the opening corners. You have to settle into a groove and find your rhythm. “I think in 2017 when I was with Scott Pye we started 20th and it rained for the start. We made a late change and I was in the car on the grid. “It was myself and one other co-driver. By the time I handed over to Scott we were sixth. That was cool, to be passing a lot of main-game guys in really sketchy conditions.” But does it burn Luff that has not - until now - won at Bathurst. “Like I’ve always said, any time you’re spraying champagne in the afternoon at Bathurst, it hasn’t been the worst day of your life. And standing and watching someone else up there on the podium definitely sucks.”
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SUPPORT CATEGORIES PREVIEW SUPER2/3
Drivers across the field will be hoping for better conditions at Mount Panorama after chaotic scenes in the last round at a wet and wild SMP. Broc Feeney is on the verge of securing the Super2 Series title, ahead of his promotion to the Supercars Championship next year with Triple Eight Race Engineering. The 19-yearold is 129 points clear of Zak Best, who is locked in a fight with Jayden Ojeda for second position. In the Super3 Series, Nash Morris will likely battle it out with Reef McCarthy for season honours. The pair are separated by 47 points, Michael Anderson is a further 73 points in arrears.
PORSCHE CARRERA CUP
Cameron Hill has been unmatched in the 2021 Porsche Carrera Cup Australia season, winning six of nine races thus far. The driver has achieved a further two podiums in a near flawless season, and there is no reason why he won’t lead the field again at Mount Panorama. McElrea Racing pair Harri Jones and Cooper Murray have also performed well to this point, while experienced campaigner David Wall has been a picture of consistency without recording a win just yet.
S5000
Aaron Cameron is the man to beat after the first round of the S5000 Tasman Series, leading ex-Formula 1 driver Roberto Merhi and Tim Macrow by 19 points after three races at Sydney Motorsport Park. Cameron was initially only committed to the first round, but outstanding performances saw him agree to compete for the title at Mount Panorama. After winning the S5000 Australian Drivers Championship earlier in the year, Joey Mawson will be looking to bounce back from a disappointing first leg of the Tasman Series. Mawson drove from last to second in the final race at SMP but was involved in incidents in the first two races, leaving him sixth in the standings heading into Bathurst.
TCR
By the time Auto Action hits shelves, Chaz Mostert may already have secured the TCR Australia Series title. A revised schedule for the Bathurst 1000 event benefited series leader Mostert immensely, granting him the opportunity to take part in the first race. The rest of the positions are up for grabs, however, with a chasing pack of eight drivers separated by just 56 points. Luke King and Josh Buchan are best placed to stand on the podium with Mostert, but a twist or two is on the cards.
GT WORLD CHALLENGE AUSTRALIA
Yasser Shahin will be joined by a new teammate as he looks to wrap up the GT World Challenge Australia title at Mount Panorama. Factory Audi Sport
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driver Christopher Mies will partner Shahin, who is 37 points clear at the top, replacing regular co-driver Garth Tander who will miss due to Bathurst 1000 commitments. Shane van Gisbergen has also required a substitute, Peter Hackett stepping in. Prince Jefri Ibrahim enters the round in second place, ahead of Tony Bates.
TOYOTA GAZOO RACING 86 SERIES
Zach Bates was the name on everyone’s lips at Sydney Motorsport Park, the driver claiming a clean sweep of race wins to extend his season tally to eight. He will likely be the driver to beat again at Bathurst, but Lachlan Gibbons will look to mount a challenge after finishing runner-up to Bates twice at SMP. Cameron Crick has also been a strong performer and is one to watch out for at ‘The Mountain’.
NATIONAL TRANS AM SERIES
Nathan Herne takes a commanding lead into competition at ‘The Mountain’, sitting 128 points clear of Edan Thornburrow. Herne was neck and neck with rival Aaron Seton heading into the round at Sydney Motorsport Park, however the latter exited the series in favour of concentrating on his Super2 season. Tim Brook, Thornburrow and Kyle Gurton all also enter Bathurst in strong form, having taken the fight to Herne at SMP.
TOURING CAR MASTERS There are five drivers in realistic
contention heading into the four-race Touring Car Masters season finale at Bathurst. Five-time TCM Champion and two-time Bathurst 1000 winner John Bowe leads the title race by 10 points ahead of Ryan Hansford, the son of 1993 Great Race winner Greg. The Queenslander is 37 points ahead of Marcus Zukanovic and Cameron Tilley, who are tied for equal third in the championship on 398 points. Reigning and three-time TCM Champion Steven Johnson has a lot to do from fifth position, 58 points off the leader. Outside of the title contenders, several key TCM names will enter the mix. George Miedecke will drive the same 1969 Camaro that his father, Andrew, drove in the category. TCM race winner Dean Lillie returns driving a Holden Torana, as will a pair of Porsche 911 RS entries to be fielded by Terry Lawler and Sven Burchartz. Brad Tilley will also make his first start since the 2018 season aboard his iconic Ford Falcon GTHO.
V8 SUPERUTES
The V8 SuperUte Series title fight between heavyweights Aaron Borg (555 points), Ryal Harris (528 points) and previous round winner Cameron Crick (515 points) reaches its climax at Mount Panorama. Series leader Borg is looking to win the series on debut after claiming the 2019 Toyota 86 Series, while Harris is attempting to clinch his second title in three seasons. Crick is one of seven Sieders Racing entries looking bring the team success.
BATHURST 1000 GUIDE SCHEDULE OF EVENTS TRACK SCHEDULE
Thursday, December 2 Time 08:25-08:45 08:55-09:20 09:30-09:50 10:00-11:00 11:20-11:40 11:50-12:50 13:00-13:25 13:35-14:00 14:10-14:30 14:40-15:00 15:10-15:30 15:45-16:15 16:25-17:25
Friday, December 3
2021 CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Shane van Gisbergen Jamie Whincup Will Davison Chaz Mostert Cameron Waters Anton De Pasquale Nick Percat Will Brown Mark Winterbottom Brodie Kostecki
Triple Eight Race Engineering Triple Eight Race Engineering Dick Johnson Racing Walkinshaw Andretti United Tickford Racing Dick Johnson Racing Brad Jones Racing Erebus Motorsport Team 18 Erebus Motorsport
2828 2479 2233 2194 2093 2075 1804 1748 1611 1530
PREVIOUS 10 BATHURST 1000 WINNERS 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020
Garth Tander & Nick Percat Jamie Whincup & Paul Dumbrell Mark Winterbottom & Steven Richards Chaz Mostert & Paul Morris Craig Lowndes & Steven Richards Will Davison & Jonathon Webb David Reynolds & Luke Youlden Craig Lowndes & Steven Richards Scott McLaughlin & Alexandre Premat Shane van Gisbergen & Garth Tander
Holden VE Commodore Holden VE Commodore Ford FG Falcon Ford FG Falcon Holden VF Commodore Holden VF Commodore Holden VF Commodore Holden ZB Commodore Ford Mustang Holden Commodore ZB
Time 08:20-08:45 08:55-9:55 10:05-10:30 10:40-11:40 12:00-12:20 12:30-13:20 13:30-14:30 14:45-15:15 15:30-16:15 16:35-17:15
Category V8 SuperUtes Touring Car Masters Dunlop Series Supercars Porsche Carrera Cup Australian GT Trans Am S5000 V8 SuperUtes TGRA86 Dunlop Series Porsche Carrera Cup Supercars
Session Race 2 Race 2 Qualifying Race 1 Practice 1 Qualifying Race 1 Race 2 Race 1 Race 3 Qualifying Qualifying Race 2 Race 1 Practice 2 (co-drivers)
Category Touring Car Masters Australian GT S5000 Supercars TGRA86 TCR Supercars Porsche Carrera Cup Dunlop Series Supercars
Session Race 3 Race 2 Race 2 Practice 3 (co-drivers) Race 1 Race 2 Practice 4 Race 2 Race 1 Qualifying
Saturday, December 4 Time 09:05-09:30 09:40-10:00 10:15-11:15 11:35-12:00 12:15-13:15 13:30-13:50 14:00-14:50 15:00-15:40 15:55-16:40 17:05
Category Trans Am V8 SuperUtes Supercars S5000 Supercars TGRA86 TCR Porsche Carrera Cup Dunlop Series Supercars
Sunday, December 5 Time 08:35-08:55 09:10-09:30 10:15-10:40 10:50-11:15 12:15
Category TGRA86 Supercars S5000 Porsche Carrera Cup Supercars
Session Race 3 Race 4 Practice 5 (co-drivers) Race 3 Practice 6 Race 2 Race 3 Race 3 Race 2 Top Ten Shootout Session Race 3 Warm Up Race 4 Race 4 Race 31 (161 laps)
BATHURST 1000 TV TIMES (AEDT) THURSDAY DECEMBER 2
Fox Sports 503: Live from 8:15am – 5:30pm - Livestreamed on Kayo
FRIDAY DECEMBER 3
Seven live and free: 10:30am – 5:30pm - Fox Sports 503: Live from 8:00am – 6:00pm - Livestreamed on Kayo
SATURDAY DECEMBER 4
Seven live and free: 10:00am – 6:00pm - Fox Sports 503: Live from 8:45am – 6:30pm - Livestreamed on Kayo
SUNDAY DECEMBER 5
Seven live and free: 8:30am – 7:00pm - Fox Sports 503: Live from 8:15am - Livestreamed on Kayo
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NEW TRU-BLU FALCON MEETS OLD
ONE OF the most famous cars in Mount Panorama history has come face-to-face with its modern recreation at Bathurst’s National Motor Racing Museum. 40 years after it famously won the Great Race, the original ‘Tru-Blu’ Ford Falcon made famous by Touring Car legend Dick Johnson has come face-toface with its modern recreation, driven by Dick’s son Steven in the Gulf Western Oils Touring Car Masters Series. Johnson’s iconic 1981 ‘Tru-Blu’ Ford XD Falcon Touring Car holds a special place in the history of Australian Motorsport, delivering Johnson and co-driver John French a Bathurst win in 1981, twelve months after the famous ‘rock’ incident.
The car was built in time for the 1981 season, the resulting explosion of attention, donations and fan interest following ‘The Rock’ incident helping forge the Johnson legacy as one of the sport’s most famous surnames. The car also won the 1981 Australian Touring Championship and has since become one of the most iconic in Australian Touring Car racing history. The original Falcon is currently on display in the National Motor Racing Museum, on loan to the extensive collection from the Bowden family in Queensland. 40 years later, Steven Johnson’s Touring Car Masters XD Falcon has rapidly become one of the most
popular cars in the category. “Standing looking at these two cars, it’s pretty emotional actually,” Johnson said. “It’s the first time the cars have been together. “It shows the history and to have two cars together that look so similar, even though they are two eras and two different sets of rules – and different sponsors – is incredible. “Our sponsors have been fantastic in that for a lot of them, their logos are not their style – but they’ve allowed that to happen so it looks very similar to the 1980, 1981 car. “To look at both of them together is just magnificent.” “Tru Blu was such a significant
car in the history of my family and I remember it being in our garage at Daisy Hill when I was a kid, with Dad working on it. “It’s really special to get them together like this 40 years on from that Bathurst moment that was really significant to our family.” As well as scoring its first race win earlier this year, ‘Tru-Blu Mk. III’ also won a poll of TCM fans voting for their favorite car, amassing more than 4,000 votes along the way. Johnson won in the car at Sydney Motorsport Park last time out and remains in contention for his fourth Gulf Western Oils Touring Car Masters crown this weekend, as part of the massive six-day Bathurst 1000 event.
HONDA DEBUT NEW UPGRADES AT BATHURST TCR AUSTRALIA Series teams Wall Racing and Team Soutar Motorsport have debuted new upgrades for its Honda Civic Type R TCRs received since the last round at Sydney Motorsport Park in May. These upgrades have been used successfully in other markets namely in the World Touring Car Cup (WTCR). “In the time that we’ve had away since our last TCR event there were some upgrades available for our cars,” said David Wall, Wall Racing. “Those upgrades are a lot of little things put together; I wouldn’t say there is anything major. “The cosmetic part of it is a different front bar as well as lots of bits and pieces. “We hope it’ll improve the longevity for tyre wear and a few other subtle things that should improve our overall package.” The most noticeable item as part of the kit is an upgraded front bumper and splitter designed with a smoother edge profile as well as a larger air inlet. Improved are the cooling ducts providing larger openings and designed using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD). The rear wing also features improved pylons and fixings resulting in better positioning to enable greater efficiency, so too
wing sensitivity. Also new a gear ratio is included to optimise the latest engine map to provide a more progressive RPM drop. While front suspension componentry has also been finessed to aid in tyre wear management ahead of Supercheap Auto TCR Australia’s longest races in its history. As Australia’s JAS Motorsport agent, Wall Racing has supplied Team Soutar Motorsport with its kit in addition to its own two Supercheap Auto TCR Australia Series Civic Type Rs of which John Martin will race one in this weekend’s TCR Bathurst 400. Rhys Vandersyde
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RANDLE’S 2022 CAR UNVEILED
FOR THE FULL REVEAL AND ALL THE DETAILS THIS LINK WILL GO LIVE AT 7.15AM THURSDAY 2ND DECEMBER REVEAL HERE
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DOUBLE DUTIES A CHALLENGE FOR FEENEY TRIPLE EIGHT Race Engineering rising star Broc Feeney is in for a challenging Bathurst 1000 week at Mount Panorama, according to Super2 Team Manager Matt Cook. Feeney will be vying for the title in the Super2 Series finale as well as competing in the Bathurst 1000 alongside Russell Ingall, creating a hectic schedule for the 19-year-old driver. There are several drivers undertaking double duties next week but Cook believed Feeney was in a unique situation as a lead Bathurst 1000 driver. “He’s in a very unique situation, because he’s the A driver as well,” Cook told Auto Action. “A lot of people do double duties, it’s not too bad as the B driver but because he’s the A driver, there’s
some of our sessions that cross over into each other. “He literally has 15 minutes to get out of the car from a Super2 race. “Unfortunately, if he’s on the podium, he’s going to have to miss the podium, he’s going to have to miss the media stuff, and he’s going to have to fly straight down into the Supercheap Auto car to do the Top 10 Shootout.” Chaz Mostert is another example of a lead Supercar driver taking part in two categories, but he will only compete in one TCR Australia Series race before committing to his Supercars Championship role with Walkinshaw Andretti United. Feeney, on the other hand, will participate fully in both Super2 and the Bathurst 1000. This is no surprise, as he is 129
points clear at the top of the Super2 standings and could secure season honours by the end of the first of two races. However, Cook said that the junior would have to be wary when taking on such a heavy load at the mountain. “He’s very comfortable in his Super2 car but he’s just going to have to be very cautious when he jumps in the main series car, because the balance is a little bit different,” Cook said. “It’s not quite the same, so he’s just going to have to be sensible and take it easy, small steps at a time for the main series. “We are focusing on Super2, we need to really put our best foot forward and try and win that. Cook also explained that winning Super2 would take on particular
DOOHAN PROMOTED TO F2 EARLY JACK DOOHAN has received an early promotion to FIA Formula 2 taking on the final two rounds of the 2021 championship. The Australian will join MP Motorsport for the Saudi Arabian and Abu Dhabi rounds after strong Formula 3 campaign that saw Doohan finish second in the points. Doohan will join Clement Novalak in the Dutch squad replacing Richard Verschoor, having already indicated he plans to step up the F2 full-time in 2022. “It is an amazing opportunity. I cannot thank the team enough, as well my family and everyone who
has enabled me to do these last two rounds,” said Doohan. “This opportunity will give me a little bit of a foundation and a base before I start my prep for next year. I am super excited. I don’t have any real goals as I haven’t been in anything higher than a Formula 3 car before. Free Practice will be my first time in something higher than Formula 3, so my expectations are very minimal. “My goal is to get as much track time as possible and to constantly be learning. I am really excited, it is awesome to be heading to the circuits in Jeddah and Yas Marina, I
can’t wait.” The Australian has been linked with a seat, replacing the Formula 1 bound Guanyu Zhou at UNIVirtuosi for the 2022 season Doohan won’t be the only driver making the step up. Fellow F3 driver Logan Sargeant who will also make his F2 debut. The Williams Junior Driver will move across HWA Racelab replacing Jake Hughes for the round at Jeddah. Rhys Vandersyde
significance for both Feeney and Triple Eight. “It would be amazing if we could tie that up, it’d be great for T8 since we haven’t won Super2,” Cook said. “It’d be amazing for the business and the company. “It would also be good for Broc because that means he’s won Super3 and Super2. “Then he gets the golden ticket to drive Jamie’s car next year, it’s been a big couple of years for him. “He’s put the runs on the board and he deserves it, it’s very exciting.” Heading into 2022 Feeney will graduate from Super2 to drive in the Supercars Championship full-time, taking over from the retiring Jamie Whincup who steps into the role of Team Principal at Triple Eight. Josh Nevett
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AROCCA: FUEL INNOVATIONS KEEP MOTORSPORT FUTURE SAFE MOTORSPORT AUSTRALIA CEO Eugene Arocca believes innovations in biofuels and internal combustion technology will protect traditional motorsport in times of electrification. Electric vehicle racing has grown in recent times, with the introduction of Formula E and Extreme E among others. In addition to the electric racing that is already established, recently Porsche revealed its Mission R concept, a 1000bhp all-electric machine that could be set for the German marque’s one-make competitions across the globe in a matter of years. However, Arocca believed that both fuelpowered and electric-powered competitions could co-exist well into the future. “I’m not convinced that electric vehicles, for example, will be the future of motorsport,” Arocca told Auto Action. “I believe that there will be opportunities to develop biofuels and alternatives to the form of combustion that we currently use in road cars, and in motorsport. “That will develop over the next five or 10 years. “As far as I’m concerned, we’ll still be seeing geared vehicles moving around tracks in competition, that will not necessarily be electric vehicles.” Formula 1 is leading the way in motorsport innovation, targeting a carbon neutral power unit powered by a drop-in sustainable fuel for its open wheelers in 2025. The new engine will be the second generation of hybrid power in F1, the first iteration introduced in 2014. While Arocca believed the history of motorsport would be preserved by such
advances, he also embraced the momentum behind electric technology heading into a netzero, sustainable future. “We are also in the electric vehicle space, and we’ve started producing regulations for electric racing,” Arocca said. “We’ve already been approached by a couple of categories that want to be created in the electric racing space. “We think that we’ve got a really important role to play in the climate change debate with some exciting projects that we’re looking at over the next 18 months to not only show that the sport is responsible but can also set an agenda on climate change. “In 30 years or 40 years, there will probably be more electric vehicles racing than non-electric vehicles.” Two key factors were working in favour of motorsport as we know it, according to the Motorsport Australia boss: the power of tradition and the overestimated impact of combustion motorsport on the environment. “We’re not a big user of what you might call carbon, in the scheme of things,” Arocca said. “A full year of Supercars will probably not use up anywhere near the same amount of fuel as a Melbourne to Sydney
airline run for a month. “I do think at the heart of motorsport will be what we’ve traditionally known to be our vehicles, we’ll find alternatives to not just having electric vehicles race. “I believe that motorsport will find a way to preserve a traditional form of racing with alternative fuels, and alternative forms of resources.” Josh Nevett
NEW NEDS LIVERY FOR BATHURST KELLY GROVE Racing drivers Andre Heimgartner and Matt Campbell will run a new livery at the Bathurst 1000 this weekend. The #7 Ford Mustang pairing will be backed by Ned Whisky, however with a fresh paint scheme promoting a limitededition bottle. In fact, Kelly Racing has contributed to the new whiskey, assisting the brand in the maturation process. By applying a recording of one Heimgartner’s laps at Mount Panorama from the opening round of the season, NED Whisky utilised the V8 rumble to-sound age it. Blasting the sound of the V8 powered Mustang for over 50 hours per week has resulted in one of the most unique whiskies ever made. Only 1743 ‘Sounds of Bathurst’ bottles have been produced, with two designs developed for the inspired by Kelly Grove’s race cars
#7 and #26 and both are on sale now. “We knew that sound would accelerate aging, there have been numerous experiments around the world with music,” said the head distiller at Ned Whisky, Sebastian Reaburn. “We were not expecting the intensity of the engine noise to drive so much change, so fast. The intense, full spectrum of sound waves from the Kelly Grove Mustang GT engine is the reason! This is the best whisky we
have made so far.” Heimgartner felt that the concept was a great idea and is happy to have had a key part in it. “I remember talking about this earlier in the year and thinking what a cool and unique concept,” he said. “I’m proud to have played a small
part in creating something so iconic and special and being able to share it with everyone is even more remarkable.” The other Kelly Grove Racing car will also support a new livery this weekend. Dan McCarthy
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S5000 BREAKS TWO MINUTE BARRIER AS PREDICTED by S5000 category development manager Chris Lambden the S5000 machines managed to lap under the two-minute barrier. Garry Rogers Motorsport driver Aaron Cameron set a 1m 59.934s time, the only driver to sneak under the in qualifying. As reported previously the S5000 machines are running less power this weekend as Motorsport Australia rules state that all racing cars must
not exceed a power to weight limit of two kilograms per horsepower on FIA Grade 3 circuits. Despite the 85-horsepower deficit reigning Australian Drivers’ champion Joey Mawson was only 0.8s away from the number in practice yesterday on old tyres. Throughout qualifying everyone was improving lap after lap, but looked as though they would fall just short of the time, however in the dying seconds Tasman Series leader
Cameron snuck into the one minute 59 and earnt himself pole position. The time is the fastest official lap set by an open wheeler at the Mount Panorama (Jenson Button’s McLaren Formula 1 lap was not in an official session). The time of Cameron’s is less than 0.7s of a second slower than the outright lap record set by Christopher Mies in an Audi R8 at Challenge Bathurst in 2018, a 1m 59.291. In the session itself Cameron took
BARGWANNA JNR ON POLE AT BATHURST BEN BARGWANNA scored his maiden TCR Australia pole position, the fastest man at Bathurst by a substantial 0.668s. Only Michael Caruso could qualify within a second of him, while a third Garry Rogers Motorsport machine of James Moffat rounded out the top three. Aaron Cameron finished second in all three races at Bathurst earlier in the year, however he qualified 1.26s slower than his pole sitting Peugeot teammate Bargwanna. Chaz Mostert qualified in fifth for Wednesday afternoon’s TCR Australia race and has one hand on the trophy after his nearest title rivals faltered. His Melbourne Performance
Centre teammate Luke King who sits second in the series suffered brake failure heading into the chase, he was lucky not to roll and got beached in the gravel trap. He qualified in ninth. The man third in the title fight Josh Buchan finished the session in a lowly and disappointing 15th, he looked as though he was going to qualifying in the top 10, however a late red flag in the opening session stopped him from improving. Dan McCarthy
pole by 0.15s from his teammate James Golding and Mawson. Nathan Herne qualified fourth ahead of the returning John Martin, former F1 driver Roberto Merhi who has an early session off track excursion at Turn 1. Tim Macrow, Luis Leeds, Blake Burdie and Jordan Boys rounded out the 10 qualifiers. Japanese driver Yoshiaki Katayama is set to return tomorrow after serving his 72 hours of isolation as an international arrival. Dan McCarthy
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HERNE: WEIGHT OF THE WORLD OFF MY SHOULDERS
BY WINNING the Trans Am 100, Nathan Herne gathered enough points to take the 2021 National Trans Am title. He described it as a massive weight off his shoulders and he hopes it will allow him to enjoy his racing once again. When Herne crossed the line to win he was visibly emotional, and explained how much it meant to him to achieve the goal of winning the Trans Am Series. “I really wanted this first title, the National Trans Am Series, it means more to me than what most people see on the surface, and it’s cool to finally get it under my belt,” Herne said. “Now I can come into these next few races refreshed. “To get the number 1 on my door is a massive stroke of confidence, a stroke to my ego. I’ll hop in the S5000 and the rest of these races with a whole new confidence, “I’ve got the weight of the world off my shoulders now, and I can go back to enjoying racing again.” Herne explained that he has visited a psychologist since the last round at
Sydney Motorsport Park less than a fortnight ago. “I had to go to a sports psychologist, really look at myself and what I’m doing,” he expressed. “I worked really hard during the (COVID-19 enforced) off-season, packed up my whole life to focus just on racing and I still wasn’t getting the results that I wanted. “It’s taken its toll on me, coming into this weekend I was very nervous and very under pressure, but now it’s off my back, I’m not dragging any trains anymore. “I can get back to enjoying it and doing it how I did at the start of this year, I reckon once I do that, it’ll be on again.” Early in the season Herne was challenged by Aaron Seton and Owen Kelly, and more recently from Tim Brook, however it is the Queenslander who has come out on top. Despite taking victory in the race by a comfortable margin 6.1s it was not all smooth sailing. “I knew that all I had to do to get the series was to finish,” he said. “That was my main goal going out
there, when I got in front of Brook I saw them start to dice and I was like this is my time, I took off as hard as I could. “The car was screaming, alarm bells going off at me, oil temps and all that, the last couple of laps I was praying to God hoping it would hang on. “Every corner was a sigh and a weight off my shoulders. I’ve been over pressurizing myself for the last couple of rounds.
“The hardest thing about this year has really been me to myself. I still didn’t get a pole position which is one of the goals I set for myself this year. A lot of time it came down to me as a driver, I’ve got a lot to work on still. “I’m looking forward to next year’s battle with Brook, it’ll be good to have the confidence with the number 1 on the side or the car, it’ll be a good dice next year no matter what.” Dan McCarthy
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SVG AND TANDER TO RUN CAR 888 SHANE VAN Gisbergen and Garth Tander will run Triple Eight Engineering’s legendary #888 at this year’s Bathurst 1000 rather than the number #97. The pair will run the number to pay homage to outgoing team principal Roland Dane, as seven-time Supercars Champion and current driver Jamie Whincup will take over that role from 2022. Triple Eight Race Engineering made its debut in 2003, and has campaigned the #888 at every ‘Great Race’ between 2004 and 2020.
That tradition appeared set to end this year as the team honoured the retiring Whincup by allowing him to race with his traditional #88 this weekend. Van Gisbergen and Tander, who combined to win the 2020 race, appeared set to carry on with the #97. However, a last-minute change ensures the #888 will be on the Great Race grid, with van Gisbergen and Tander behind the wheel rather than Whincup and Lowndes. The number was used throughout Craig Lowndes’ full-time career at
Triple Eight Race Engineering. Car #888 is the second most successful number in ‘Great Race’ history with six wins, only behind #1. Whincup and Lowndes won three straight Bathurst 1000s between 2006 and 2008 with the #888 on the window. Lowndes then had further success adding an additional wins with Mark Skaife in 2010 and Steven Richards twice, in 2015 and then again in 2018. This year Van Gisbergen won his second Supercars Championship, romping to the title after claiming 14
of the 30 races so far in the #97 ZB Commodore. In fact, the move to 888 will mark the first time since 2012 that van Gisbergen will race with a number other than his traditional #97. He began racing with the number in 2013 when he moved to Tekno Autosports, and retained it when he shifted to Triple Eight for 2016. Van Gisbergen won his first drivers’ title with #97 that year; it was the first instance that a car with the #97 had won an ATCC/Supercars title. Dan McCarthy
VAN GISBERGEN AND TANDER RECEIVE CHAMPIONS’ PLAQUE
THE REIGNING Bathurst 1000 winners Shane van Gisbergen and Garth Tander have been awarded their Champions’ Plaque for winning the 2020 edition of the ‘Great Race.’ The award was handed to the Triple Eight Race Engineering drivers earlier today in front of 250 fans at a special ceremony held in Bathurst. The plaque can be seen in the images right, van Gisbergen won his first 1000 last year, while for Tander it was his fourth. Van Gisbergen and Tander expressed that now SVG wrapped up the 2021 Supercars Championship, they have no worries and can put 100% focus into wrapping up the title. “If the championship was still up for grabs, we probably would have had to have been quite calculated with what we did, but now we can just go all out for the race,” van Gisbergen said. “Thankfully Sunday’s not looking too hot, it’ll be tough if it is, but I thought it was gonna be a lot hotter for November, we’ve gotten a bit lucky I think.” The now two-time champion is pleased to see fans return in bulk to the Mount Panorama Circuit after the COVID-19 pandemic saw a severe crowd cap last year. “It’s pretty awesome having all the fans
back and having the atmosphere at the track it’s gonna be really cool, can’t wait for that again but just focus on the race,” he said. Tander is pleased that van Gisbergen has already secured the title. He knows that if they keep out of trouble in the first 100 laps they will be in contention come the final stint. “It’s actually easier now that he’s won the championship, because we don’t have to worry about the championship over the course of the Bathurst weekend,” Tander said. “Now it’s just come to Bathurst, race 1000k’s as fast as we can, put our best foot forward and if we have a good day and we do everything well, we should be amongst it.” While eyes will be on van Gisbergen and Tander, many eyes will also be on there teammate in
the sister #88 car, the seventime champion will retire from full-time competition come Sunday night. Dan McCarthy
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