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DRIVE BATHURST NEWS
Drive Bathurst 2010 dates confirmed
We're delighted to announce that plans are already underway for Drive Bathurst 2010 with the dates confirmed as 10—14 November.
This will be our 4th year and promises to be bigger and better than ever. Stay tuned for further news and updates. Entries are scheduled to open at the end of January.
About Us: DRIVE BATHURST is a five day invitation only event held at the Mt Panorama Circuit in Bathurst NSW. The Event gives experienced club competitors and motor sport enthusiasts the opportunity to receive expert instruction from well known and respected race champions and then drive on the full Mt Panorama Circuit.
The Event has two separate categories: driveBathurst is an untimed non-competitive event and sprintBathurst is a timed competition. Eligible competitors may enter either one or both categories. 2010 is the 4th year of the Event and special guest across the five days is motor racing legend Jim Richards.
2009 Photo Gallery now available
More than 17,000 images from 11-15 November are now online and available for viewing at www.drivebathurstphotos.com
Click here for images from driveBathurst
Click here for images from sprintBathurst
Click here for general images from across the five days
If you'd like a CD containing all the hi res images of your car, please use the 'Order Photos' link in the top right hand corner of the gallery or go to drivebathurst.com. Please include your competition number in the car details area of the order to assist with processing.
© TRACKCORP Adrenalin Pty Ltd retains copyright of all film and video footage associated with DRIVE BATHURST 2009. Images are supplied for personal use only – should you wish to use images for commercial or promotional purposes please contact TRACKCORP Adrenalin Pty Ltd for further information.
Click here for images from driveBathurst
Click here for images from sprintBathurst
Click here for general images from across the five days
If you'd like a CD containing all the hi res images of your car, please use the 'Order Photos' link in the top right hand corner of the gallery or go to drivebathurst.com. Please include your competition number in the car details area of the order to assist with processing.
© TRACKCORP Adrenalin Pty Ltd retains copyright of all film and video footage associated with DRIVE BATHURST 2009. Images are supplied for personal use only – should you wish to use images for commercial or promotional purposes please contact TRACKCORP Adrenalin Pty Ltd for further information.
Mark Berry wins 2009 sprintBathurst Outright
The outright winner of sprintBathurst 2009 is Mark Berry in his Nissan Skyline GTR R34.
Mark's best time was 2:13.7080, a full 3.55 seconds clear of the next fastest car and 5.08 seconds under the sprint lap record set in 2007. This is a very impressive effort considering the quality of the field and the fact that the R34 rebuild is still a work in progress.
Mark is from Queensland and now has back to back outright sprintBathurst wins on just his second visit to the Mountain. We hear he'd like to make it three in a row and that plans are already underway for a title defence in 2010.
The conditions at sprintBathurst 2008 may have favoured the 4WD cars but 2009 was (very) warm and sunny and produced an entirely different podium shared by all three eastern states. Second place outright went to Shane Smollen from NSW in his Porsche 997 Cup Car and third to Sean Cussell from VIC in his 2007 Ferrari 430 Challenge.
Congratulations to Mark, Shane and Sean - a full list of the outright results is available here.
Mark's best time was 2:13.7080, a full 3.55 seconds clear of the next fastest car and 5.08 seconds under the sprint lap record set in 2007. This is a very impressive effort considering the quality of the field and the fact that the R34 rebuild is still a work in progress.Mark is from Queensland and now has back to back outright sprintBathurst wins on just his second visit to the Mountain. We hear he'd like to make it three in a row and that plans are already underway for a title defence in 2010.
The conditions at sprintBathurst 2008 may have favoured the 4WD cars but 2009 was (very) warm and sunny and produced an entirely different podium shared by all three eastern states. Second place outright went to Shane Smollen from NSW in his Porsche 997 Cup Car and third to Sean Cussell from VIC in his 2007 Ferrari 430 Challenge.
Congratulations to Mark, Shane and Sean - a full list of the outright results is available here.
2009 sprintBathurst Class Winners
Bruce Hibbard 1st A Class Bob Watson 1st B Class Phil Heafey 1st C Class
Brian Needs 1st D Class Damien White Fastest Evo X Mark Berry 1st Open Class
Congratulations to all of our class winners - a full list of the class results is available here.
Richards Back On The Mountain
The most experienced man to have ever contested the Bathurst 1000, Jim Richards is returning to take on the Mountain once again.
A notable absence from last year’s on-track action ended Richards’ incredible streak of 34 consecutive years in the driver’s seat at Bathurst, but he'll be back in force this year doing double duty in the Biante Touring Car Masters and Australian GT classes.
Heading over from New Zealand, Richards first visited Mount Panorama to do battle in the 1974 Bathurst 1000 and subsequently contested every 1000km race until his last run in the main event in 2006.
Racking up 35 consecutive starts, Richards holds the record for the most starts in Australia’s premier motorsport event and has won the Great Race seven times (1978, 1979, 1980, 1991, 1992, 1998 and 2002) alongside Peter Brock, Mark Skaife and Rickard Rydell.
Joining the Biante Touring Car Masters in 2007, Richards continued to be a crowd pleaser at Mount Panorama in a V8-powered 1969 Chevrolet Camaro SS. After sitting on the sidelines for the first time in 2008, Richards will this year be one of the busiest drivers at the track as he juggles his time between his classic 1964 Falcon Sprint and 2007 Porsche GT3 997.
Effectively running fourth in each series, Richards will be racing in round six of the Biante Touring Car Masters and round five of the Australian GT Championship at Mount Panorama, from 8-11 October.
JIM RICHARDS:
“Rod Coppins and I came over from New Zealand to race the 1974 Bathurst 1000. From then I raced every Bathurst 1000, including the Super Tourers, until 2006 when I stepped out of the main game."
“I obviously enjoy Bathurst, it’s a fantastic circuit and after not racing there last year I’m looking forward to getting out on track again to run in the Biante series and the GT’s. The biggest challenge for me racing in two categories will be the scheduling; I’ve got a few sessions that are one straight after another, so there’ll be some quick changes to jump from one car to the other, but we’ll work that out."
“Running a ’64 Falcon and a Porsche 997 will be great fun, they’re two totally different cars; the Porsche is very nimble and precise, but I think the Falcon will probably be more fun as it slides around.”
JIM RICHARDS – 7x BATHURST 1000 WINNER:
1978 Jim Richards Peter Brock Holden LX Torana A9X SS; 163 laps 6h 45m 53.9s
1979 Jim Richards Peter Brock Holden LX Torana A9X SS; 163 laps 6h 38m 15.8s
1980 Jim Richards Peter Brock Holden VC Commodore; 163 laps 6h 47m 52.7s
1991 Jim Richards Mark Skaife Nissan Skyline BNR32 GT-R; 161 laps 6h 19m 14.80s
1992 Jim Richards Mark Skaife Nissan Skyline BNR32 GT-R; 143 laps 6h 27m 16.22s
1998 Jim Richards Rickard Rydell Volvo S40; 161 laps 6h 54m 23.48s
2002 Jim Richards Mark Skaife Holden VX Commodore; 161 laps 6h 58m 41.03s
Official Press Release, Biante Touring Car Masters 22 September 2009.
A notable absence from last year’s on-track action ended Richards’ incredible streak of 34 consecutive years in the driver’s seat at Bathurst, but he'll be back in force this year doing double duty in the Biante Touring Car Masters and Australian GT classes.
Heading over from New Zealand, Richards first visited Mount Panorama to do battle in the 1974 Bathurst 1000 and subsequently contested every 1000km race until his last run in the main event in 2006.
Racking up 35 consecutive starts, Richards holds the record for the most starts in Australia’s premier motorsport event and has won the Great Race seven times (1978, 1979, 1980, 1991, 1992, 1998 and 2002) alongside Peter Brock, Mark Skaife and Rickard Rydell.
Joining the Biante Touring Car Masters in 2007, Richards continued to be a crowd pleaser at Mount Panorama in a V8-powered 1969 Chevrolet Camaro SS. After sitting on the sidelines for the first time in 2008, Richards will this year be one of the busiest drivers at the track as he juggles his time between his classic 1964 Falcon Sprint and 2007 Porsche GT3 997.
Effectively running fourth in each series, Richards will be racing in round six of the Biante Touring Car Masters and round five of the Australian GT Championship at Mount Panorama, from 8-11 October.
JIM RICHARDS:
“Rod Coppins and I came over from New Zealand to race the 1974 Bathurst 1000. From then I raced every Bathurst 1000, including the Super Tourers, until 2006 when I stepped out of the main game."
“I obviously enjoy Bathurst, it’s a fantastic circuit and after not racing there last year I’m looking forward to getting out on track again to run in the Biante series and the GT’s. The biggest challenge for me racing in two categories will be the scheduling; I’ve got a few sessions that are one straight after another, so there’ll be some quick changes to jump from one car to the other, but we’ll work that out."
“Running a ’64 Falcon and a Porsche 997 will be great fun, they’re two totally different cars; the Porsche is very nimble and precise, but I think the Falcon will probably be more fun as it slides around.”
JIM RICHARDS – 7x BATHURST 1000 WINNER:
1978 Jim Richards Peter Brock Holden LX Torana A9X SS; 163 laps 6h 45m 53.9s
1979 Jim Richards Peter Brock Holden LX Torana A9X SS; 163 laps 6h 38m 15.8s
1980 Jim Richards Peter Brock Holden VC Commodore; 163 laps 6h 47m 52.7s
1991 Jim Richards Mark Skaife Nissan Skyline BNR32 GT-R; 161 laps 6h 19m 14.80s
1992 Jim Richards Mark Skaife Nissan Skyline BNR32 GT-R; 143 laps 6h 27m 16.22s
1998 Jim Richards Rickard Rydell Volvo S40; 161 laps 6h 54m 23.48s
2002 Jim Richards Mark Skaife Holden VX Commodore; 161 laps 6h 58m 41.03s
Official Press Release, Biante Touring Car Masters 22 September 2009.
The countdown is on, just 8 weeks to go !!!
The countdown to DRIVE BATHURST 2009 is on...
We are just 8 weeks away from the 2009 event and it’s all systems go.
1. Entries: Limited places are still available. Entries are closing now so if you haven’t yet lodged your application, we urge you to act without further delay. Enter here now!
2. Officials: If you would like to be part of this magnificent event but are not in a position to compete, why not come along as part of our team of officials and volunteers? Further information is available here or email us at officials@drivebathurst.com.
3. Accommodation: If you are yet to book your accommodation, we suggest that you visit the Bathurst Visitors Information Centre or freecall 1800 68 1000.
4. Hot Laps: We are again offering a limited series of Hot Laps on the full Mount Panorama circuit with racing legend Jim Richards, 7 times Bathurst 1000 winner. This is a rare opportunity and the ultimate gift for any motorsport fan. Places are strictly limited so act now and reserve yours here.
Further news and updates will be posted here and on our Facebook page as they become available. If you have any questions relating to the event, including driver or vehicle eligibility then please phone us on 02 9300 4500.
The Mountain is calling!
We are just 8 weeks away from the 2009 event and it’s all systems go.
1. Entries: Limited places are still available. Entries are closing now so if you haven’t yet lodged your application, we urge you to act without further delay. Enter here now!
2. Officials: If you would like to be part of this magnificent event but are not in a position to compete, why not come along as part of our team of officials and volunteers? Further information is available here or email us at officials@drivebathurst.com.
3. Accommodation: If you are yet to book your accommodation, we suggest that you visit the Bathurst Visitors Information Centre or freecall 1800 68 1000.
Further news and updates will be posted here and on our Facebook page as they become available. If you have any questions relating to the event, including driver or vehicle eligibility then please phone us on 02 9300 4500.
The Mountain is calling!
2009 Officials Registration is open
We have a variety of roles to fill, our target is 85 personnel with the greatest emphasis on flag marshals. Please note we can accept people without experience as training will be provided for those new to motorsport.
If you love motorsport, want to experience the magic of the Mountain, meet new friends and see all the action up close and personal, we’d like to hear from you. All you need do is download and complete the registration form.
Our volunteer officials receive the following benefits:
- Breakfast, lunch and refreshments each day
- Invitation to event evening functions (incl dinner and drinks)
- Complimentary Event Shirt and Cap
- Complimentary poster autographed by racing legend Jim Richards
- Complimentary $50 Gift Card from Adrenalin (adrenalin.com.au)
Drive Bathurst 09 Officials Registration Form
This form requires Adobe Reader 7 or higher - if you don't have Adobe Reader, download it here.
This form requires Adobe Reader 7 or higher - if you don't have Adobe Reader, download it here.
*For more information visit our website, view our 2008 Gallery or watch our Video promo.
Jim Richards Bathurst Hot Laps now on sale
These are adrenalin-fuelled hot laps around the full 6.213km circuit that is the spiritual home of Australian motorsport. Strap into the Porsche, hook up to the in-car communications, then sit back and let ‘Gentleman Jim’ show you why Mount Panorama is so revered.
The 2009 Jim Richards Bathurst Experience is on from November 11 to 15. Places are STRICTLY LIMITED so act now and reserve yours here. This is a rare opportunity and the ultimate gift for any motorsport fan.
Jim Richards - A Brief History
Originally from New Zealand, Jim Richards first made his mark in Australia at the 1974 Bathurst 1000 with a masterful display of wet weather driving that saw him finish in third place. In mid 1975 Jim moved to Australia and since then he has driven for some of the biggest teams in the sport and won everything worth winning, quietly building the record that led to his induction into the Australian Motorsport Hall of Fame in 2006. He has dominated tarmac rallying and has a remarkable history in Targa Tasmania, having won eight times and had six other podium finishes (four seconds and two thirds) since the event began in 1992.
However, it is his results at Mount Panorama, home of the Bathurst 1000, that have earned Jim Richards his greatest accolades. In the words of former team-mate and fellow racing icon, Mark Skaife, when it comes to Jim Richards "…There is no enduro driver who has had more success or comes with better credentials…”
Jim holds the record for the most Bathurst 1000 starts, a continuous run of thirty five through to 2006. He also shares the record for the most number of race finishes, twenty four, netting him thirteen Top 10 finishes along with his seven outright victories. Second only to former team-mate the late Peter Brock in wins in the Bathurst 1000, between 1978 and 2002 Jim achieved seven victories for three different marques, Holden, Nissan and Volvo.
The record for the greatest winning margin belongs to Peter Brock and Jim Richards and the record for the fastest race time for the full 1000km also belongs to Jim Richards and was set back in 1991 when he and Mark Skaife steered their turbo Nissan GT-R to victory.
Although he officially retired from V8 Supercars in 2006, ‘Gentleman Jim' continues to clock up competitive kilometres. In 2009 Jim will be competing in his 1964 Falcon Sprint in the Biante Touring Car Masters, in his Porsche 997 GT3 Cup Car in the Australian GT Championship and will tackle his eighteenth Targa Tasmania in his 2008 Porsche GT2 Turbo.
Visit the Jim Richards Racing website
