DRIVE BATHURST NEWS

Drive Bathurst 2010 dates and pricing released !!

Katie Iddon — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 04:29:00 GMT

We're delighted to announce that DRIVE BATHURST 2010 is scheduled for 10-14 November and Applications for Entry are now open.

We're also pleased to announce a new sponsorship arrangement with experience company Adrenalin (www.adrenalin.com.au). This has allowed us to introduce several new initiatives. First up is an overall reduction in entry fees AND pit lane garaging as well as your photo CD will now be included at no additional charge. Total savings for this year versus 2009 are between 14% and 20%.

We have a number of entry fee options and 'Early Bird' entries are now open. Our 'Early Bird' rate offers a substantial discount and is only available until 31 March (unless sold out prior).

Places are strictly limited and look set to sell out fast. Act now to secure your place for 2010. Application forms and the draft supp regs are available for download at www.drivebathurst.com

The Mountain is calling again !!!

Drive Bathurst 2010 dates confirmed

Katie Iddon — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 22:18:00 GMT

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

Katie Iddon — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 23:56:00 GMT

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.

Mark Berry wins 2009 sprintBathurst Outright

Katie Iddon — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 10:00:00 GMT

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.

2009 sprintBathurst Class Winners

Katie Iddon — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 09:09:00 GMT

Mark Berry 1st Outright         Shane Smollen 2nd Outright   Sean Cussell 3rd Outright

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.

Mark Berry: ADVAN R34 at sprintBathurst 2009

Katie Iddon — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 08:45:00 GMT

Richards Back On The Mountain

Katie Iddon — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 02:40:00 GMT

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.

The countdown is on, just 8 weeks to go !!!

Katie Iddon — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 02:13:00 GMT

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!

2009 Officials Registration is open

Katie Iddon — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 10:24:00 GMT

We’re looking for enthusiastic and motivated people to be part of the trackside team for DRIVE BATHURST 2009 - to be held at Mount Panorama from November 11 to 15.

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.

*For more information visit our website, view our 2008 Gallery or watch our Video promo.

Jim Richards Bathurst Hot Laps now on sale

Katie Iddon — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 09:46:00 GMT

There's no other circuit like Mount Panorama and there's no racer who knows the mountain like Jim Richards does. Hot Laps don’t get any better than this.

Imagine the ride of a lifetime... hot laps at Bathurst in a Porsche race car driven by 7 times Bathurst 1000 winner, Jim Richards. Jim is a motorsport legend, 4 times winner of the Australian Touring Car Championship, 8 times winner of Targa Tasmania, Carrera Cup champion - to name a few.

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 - Hot Laps at Mount Panorama December 2008
Video footage courtesy of news.com.au; Soundtrack by Erratic

Jim Richards - A Brief History

Katie Iddon — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 03:30:00 GMT

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.

Jim’s list of motorsport achievements is extraordinary. His career highlights include four Australian Touring Car Championships, twenty two Australian Touring Car round victories, seven ‘Bathurst 1000’ titles and two ‘Sandown 500’ titles. He also has three consecutive Nations Cup Championships (2000-2002), and was the inaugural Australian Carrera Cup Champion in 2003.

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

Getting to Bathurst

Katie Iddon — Sat, 02 May 2009 05:48:00 GMT

BY CAR:
Bathurst and Mount Panorama are located approximately 3 hours west of Sydney. The fastest route is through the Blue Mountains on the Great Western Highway. Bathurst also has a direct route to the ACT via Cowra and Boorowa - travel time to/from Canberra is around 3.5 hours.

BY PLANE:
Bathurst has a medium-sized regional airport located at the outlying suburb of Raglan, roughly 10 minutes from the Bathurst CBD. Regional Express (REX) services Bathurst twice daily and flight time is approximately 40 minutes (depending on weather).

Local buses and taxis are available for transfers from the airport into town. Avis and Hertz both have concessions at the airport for those wanting to hire a car (prior bookings recommended).

BY TRAIN:
Countrylink has a daily XPT service to Bathurst from Sydney Central with selected stops in between. Travel time is approximately 3.5 hours. Bookings can be made online.

CityRail trains travel to Lithgow numerous times during the day, and passengers can book to continue to Bathurst via coach. Travel time including the coach transfer is approximately 4 hours. Bookings for the train and coach can be made online. Prior bookings for coaches are essential and seats do fill up.

The XPT and the coaches from Lithgow all stop at Bathurst Railway Station, located at the bottom of Keppel Street. Local buses and taxis are available for transfers from the station.

MAPS:
* City of Bathurst
* Mount Panorama Circuit
* Directions to the Mountain Straight Gate

Links and Downloads

Katie Iddon — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 08:08:00 GMT

Links to our websites

2009 Event Paperwork

Maps and Directions

Other Useful Web Links

Mark Berry wins 2008 sprintBathurst Outright

Katie Iddon — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 13:59:00 GMT

The outright winner of sprintBathurst 2008 is Mark Berry in his Nissan Skyline GTR.

Mark set a best time of 2:26.3482 which is a fantastic effort considering he was running 2WD on a weather affected track.

Mark is from Queensland and this was his first time at the Mountain. Not surprisingly, plans are underway for a title defence in 2009 in an even faster track weapon.

The Porsches may have dominated sprintBathurst 2007 but conditions in 2008 favoured the 4WD cars and these filled the top 3 places.

The 2008 podium also ended up a Queensland trifecta - with 2nd place outright going to Mark Rayner in his Evo IX and 3rd to Cameron Dyal in his Evo VIII MR.

A full list of all the results is available here.

Drive Bathurst 2008 Promotional Video

Katie Iddon — Tue, 06 May 2008 05:49:00 GMT

Soundtrack by ERRATIC

2007 sprintBathurst Class Winners Announced

David Jellins — Sat, 19 Jan 2008 23:00:00 GMT

The outright winner for the inaugural sprintBathurst 2007 is Anthony Kosseris in his Porsche 996 GT3 Cup Car.

Anthony is a member of the Porsche Club NSW and is looking forward to competing in the Australian GT Championship in 2008.

Other class winners include:

Phillip Holzberger
Porsche 996 Turbo

Phil Hart
Porsche 996 GT3

Andrew Macpherson
Lotus Exige S

Barrie Smith
Mitsubishi Evo IX

Kevin Hall
Subaru STi VI

Russell Barwick
BMW E36 M3

Bob Hamilton
BMW M3R

The full listing of class results can be downloaded here.

New Trackcorp event boosts local economy

David Jellins — Sun, 16 Dec 2007 23:00:00 GMT

The inaugural Drive Bathurst and Sprint Bathurst events maybe the quiet achievers of events at the Mount Panorama circuit this year but are making a major impact on the city’s pre-christmas economy.

By major event standards at Mount Panorama the Drive Bathurst and Sprint Bathurst events have made a minimal imprint on the circuit with no big crowds of spectators only a small and enthusiastic band of club motor sport competitors. Participants representing individual clubs and major corporates from around Australia are bringing significant benefits to the Region.

“This is a great event for Bathurst with participants here from around Australia and New Zealand who are jumping at the chance to drive, under instruction, around the world famous circuit,” Cr Mann said.

“Competitors are being hosted in the city for the week and making a significant contribution to the local economy through accommodation and food and beverage sales.”

Over the five day event, 96 participants in each category are taking part where participants get a chance to test their driving skills against the mighty circuit.

With seven times Bathurst winner Jim Richards endorsing the event as an instructor, Cr Mann said it can only grow from strength to strength.

“Local caterers are on-track serving some of the Region’s best produce to the guests providing a great opportunity to showcase the quality local food industry.”

Cr Mann said event promotors TRACKCORP PTY LTD are to be congratulated for bringing the event to Bathurst.

“The enthusiasm of participants from this first year is a very encouraging sign for the future of this event and Council looks forward to working with TRACKCORP PTY LTD, local residents and the local business community to see the event grow,” he said.

CAMS approves Drive Bathurst 2007

David Jellins — Fri, 21 Sep 2007 03:52:00 GMT

It is with great pleasure that we announce today that our 5 day DRIVE BATHURST 2007 event to be held 12-16 December has been approved by CAMS.

Please see the attached media release.

"Drivers speed towards Bathurst"

David Jellins — Thu, 13 Sep 2007 14:00:00 GMT

Paul Gover

September 14, 2007 12:00am

ANYONE with a serious car, serious cash and a serious need for speed should be at Bathurst in December.

Mount Panorama will be open to regular punters who want to test themselves and their cars against the biggest challenge in Australia.

Bathurst usually is open only to serious racers for the V8 Supercar classic in October and the production-based 12-hour meeting early in the year, but a promoter has won extra access and is organising a weekend with the promise of real driving and an unbeatable challenge.

David Jellins says Trackcorp has put together a package that is built around maximum track time from December 12 to 16 and is in a similar format to a car club sprint.

"The aim of the event is to give experienced club competitors and motor-sport enthusiasts the opportunity to receive expert instruction from race champions, then drive on the full Mount Panorama circuit," he says.

"The event will have two categories: driveBathurst and sprintBathurst. DriveBathurst is an untimed non-competitive event and sprintBathurst is a timed competition. Eligible competitors may enter either or both."

The invitation-only Bathurst blast is from $2975 for early-bird sign-ups for driveBathurst, but it is the first time in recent memory that Mount Panorama has been open for this type of event.

And there are plenty of bonuses, including a chance to buy hot laps with Jim Richards in his Porsche 911 GT3 racer.

www.drivebathurst.com

Read the full Herald Sun story here.

"Easy Payment" Entry Option Closing 31 August

David Jellins — Sun, 19 Aug 2007 23:05:00 GMT

A reminder that there are just 10 days remaining to take advantage of the "Easy Payment" entry fee option. "Easy Payment" includes a saving of 7.5% and gives you the flexibility to spread your entry fee across several monthly instalments.

To qualify for the "Easy Payment" discount your application form and deposit must be received by 31 August 2007. The 2nd instalment for the "Easy Payment" entry fee is due by Tuesday 25th September 2007.