Official Bathurst thread

[Crash Test]

Lets have a look at qulaifying:

1st LOWNDES/SKAIFE (Mobil-Holden Racing) - VT Commodore [2:11.888min]
2nd BRIGHT/RADISICIH (Shell Helix Racing) - AU Falcon [2:12.019]
3rd CROMPTON/SETON (Ford-Tickford Racing) - AU Falcon [2:12.362]
4th INGALL/PERKINS (Castrol Perkins Racing) - VT Commodore [2:12.489]
5th LARKHAM/MENU (Mitre 10 Racing) - AU Falcon [2:12.762]
6th BARGWANNA/TANDER (Team Valvoline-Cummins) - VT Commodore [1:13.117]
7th BESNARD/LONGHURST (Caltex Havoline Racing) - AU Falcon [2:13.364]
8th BATES/GARDNER (Ford-Tickford Racing) - AU Falcon [2:13.491]
9th KELLY/PRETTY (Mycar Holden Young Lions) - VT Commodore [2:13.696]
10th JOHNSON/McLEAN (Shell Helix Racing) - AU Falcon [2:13.699]

the rest:
Paul Morris/Matt Neal - 18th
Jason Plato/Muller - 19th
Forbes/Cleland - 22nd
WW - 32nd

[redback]

Do you know who qualified the cars? Toddler has to be looking good for the HRT seat, if he is the one who qualified the car in ninth. I didn't expect the Bates/Gardener car to be so far up either.

[Crash Test]

Todd did qualify the car, but apparently the session was a lottery...

and Muller was way off the pace...

[Danielsun]

Now, the real question is: Who's for the pole tomorrow? Can Larko pull another stunner out of the bag, or will Radisich beat him to the punch this year? Or then there's the one lap master, Mr Skaife...

What's wrong with Muller?!

[marcus]

I think seton will get up and grab pole...his car looked pretty good today..if not i think Skaife will do it..as for winning..im guessing a dark horse might take the honors..lets try larkham and menu..but HRT and the Shell team would have to be favorites on outright speed but anything can and surely will happen.

[Danielsun]

Do you really think that HRT will just tell the Number One car to go for it? I, for one, don't think that will happen. The Championship must surely mean too much for them to simply throw both the win in series and on the hill away going out there with too much pace.

Radisich and Bright need not worry, on the other hand. The SCS victory is out of the Kiwi's reach and the speed of the Shell car is obvious. But to discount Ingall and Larry would be completely stupid...

[Crash Test]

Pos Car Driver Entrant Vehicle Cap CL Laps Fastest...Lap Gap

1 6 Wayne Gardner (J) Ford Tickford Racing Ford AU 5000 1 1 2:28.3844*
2 17 Steven Johnson (QLD) Shell Helix Racing Ford AU 5000 1 1 2:29.6150 0:01.2306
3 1 Mark Skaife (VIC) Holden Racing Team Holden VT 5000 1 1 2:30.6720 0:02.2876
4 10 Mark Larkham (QLD) Mitre 10 Ford Racing Ford AU 5000 1 1 2:31.6161 0:03.2317
5 18 Paul Radisich (NZ) Shell Helix Racing Ford AU 5000 1 1 2:32.2009 0:03.8165
6 5 Glenn Seton (VIC) Ford Tickford Racing Ford AU 5000 1 1 2:32.8572 0:04.4728
7 9 Tony Longhurst (QLD) Caltex Havoline Race Team Ford AU 5000 1 1 2:33.3617 0:04.9773
8 15 Todd Kelly (VIC) Holden Racing Team Holden VT 5000 1 1 2:37.3280 0:08.9436
9 11 Russell Ingall (VIC) Castrol Perkins Race Team Holden VT 5000 1 1 2:43.5516 0:15.1672
10 34 Garth Tander (VIC) Valvoline Cummins Repco Team Holden VT 5000 1 1 2:55.7286 0:27.3442

[Airhead]

It's enough to bring tears to the eyes of an old Ford man. The start of the race should be OK. Lets' just hope I'm not crying at the end of the race. Gardner, who would have thought of it?

Oh, (can't help being a little bit snide) where are the Pommies, the ones who would teach us all to drive, where is bloody Jason?

[Crash Test]

Hmmm...indeed it is a good question, where are the poms that were going to give us a hosing? <silence>

And what's the go with them bringing the weather with them??

[Crash Test]

Pos Car Driver Entrant Vehicle Cap CL Laps Fastest...Lap Gap

1 9 T.Longhurst/D.Besnard Caltex Havoline Race Team Ford AU 5000 13 6 2:32.5941*
2 3 S.Reed/T.Ashby Lansvale/PPG Holden VS 5000 19 18 2:33.8915 0:01.2974
3 18 P.Radisich/J.Bright Shell Helix Racing Ford AU 5000 16 14 2:34.2567 0:01.6626
4 45 D.Canto/I.Moncieff Dean Canto Racing Ford AU 5000 9 5 2:34.3758 0:01.7817
5 17 S.Johnson/C.McLean Shell Helix Racing Ford AU 5000 12 8 2:34.5590 0:01.9649
6 7 S.Richards/G.Murphy Kmart Racing Holden VT 5000 18 14 2:34.5770 0:01.9829
7 76 M.White/S.Owen Challenge Recruitment Racing Holden VS 5000 18 6 2:34.7970 0:02.2029
8 46 J.Faulkner/A.Macrow Team Asia OnLine Holden VT 5000 9 7 2:35.2709 0:02.6768
9 23 G.Full/P.Scifleet Lansvale/PPG Holden VS 5000 20 18 2:35.6161 0:03.0220
10 4 C.Baird/S.Wills Pirtek Racing Ford AU 5000 16 13 2:35.7383 0:03.1442
11 11 L.Perkins/R.Ingall Castrol Perkins Race Team Holden VT 5000 13 5 2:35.8556 0:03.2615
12 96 Wayne Wakefield (QLD)Chiko Racers Holden VS 5000 18 15 2:36.0970 0:03.5029
13 29 P.Morris/M.Neal Big Kev Racing/Team Nemo Holden VT 5000 18 17 2:36.1236 0:03.5295
14 75 Anthony Tratt (VIC) Toll Racing Ford AU 5000 5 2 2:36.1957 0:03.6016
15 6 Neal Bates (NSW) Ford Tickford Racing Ford AU 5000 19 17 2:36.2697 0:03.6756
16 24 P.Romano/D.Parsons Romano Racing Holden VS 5000 17 16 2:36.7687 0:04.1746
17 54 C.McConville/G.Brabham/
P.Dumbrell Delphi - Wynns Racing Holden VT 5000 7 2 2:37.7205 0:05.1264
18 50 Tyler Mecklem (NSW) UltraTune TDK Valvoline Racing Holden VT 5000 7 5 2:38.0499 0:05.4558
19 5 G.Seton/N.Crompton Ford Tickford Racing Ford AU 5000 18 4 2:38.1362 0:05.5421
20 8 L.Youlden/C.Murchison Castrol Perkins Race Team Holden VT 5000 14 7 2:38.1800 0:05.5859
21 55 R.Nash/P.Dumbrell Autopro Racing Holden VT 5000 16 7 2:38.1948 0:05.6007
22 59 Gary Baxter (SA) Team South Australia Ford EL 5000 11 7 2:38.2631 0:05.6690
10 Alain Menu (F) Mitre 10 Ford Racing Ford AU 5000 12 6 2:39.0283 0:06.4342
34 G.Tander/J.Bargwanna Valvoline Cummins Repco Team Holden VT 5000 10 9 2:39.1165 0:06.5224
25 600 J.Bowe/J.Richards CAT Racing Ford AU 5000 11 9 2:39.6586 0:07.0645
26 21 B.Jones/T.Mezera OzEmail Internet Racing Ford AU 5000 7 6 2:39.9415 0:07.3474
28 R.Forbes/J.Cleland Wynns Racing Holden VT 5000 6 2:40.4289 0:07.8348
28 16 Dugal McDougall (VIC) Pepsi - Cola Holden VT 5000 5 4 2:40.5137 0:07.9196
29 31 S.Ellery/P.Stokell Super Cheap Auto Racing Ford AU 5000 8 1 2:41.0569 0:08.4628
30 500 Terry Finnigan (NSW) Team South Australia Ford AU 5000 7 6 2:41.3232 0:08.7291
31 26 Peter Doulman (NSW) Team Gatorade Racing Holden VT 5000 6 5 2:41.3991 0:08.8050
32 30 Steve Voight (QLD) carsales.com.au Ford AU 5000 17 16 2:41.4007 0:08.8066
33 43 Paul Weel (QLD) K&J Thermal Products Racing Ford AU 5000 10 5 2:41.4818 0:08.8877
34 12 D.Parsons/D.Hossack Kmart Racing Holden VT 5000 11 5 2:41.6393 0:09.0452
35 35 G.Ritter/T.Leahey Valvoline Cummins Repco Team Holden VT 5000 13 6 2:42.4845 0:09.8904
36 22 R.Bates/B.Peters Colourscan Printing Ford AU 5000 11 5 2:42.7058 0:10.1117
37 44 Mal Rose (NSW) The Supercar Experience Holden VS 5000 5 2 2:43.5003 0:10.9062
38 61 R.Halliday/A.Wallis Halliday Motorsport Ford EL 5000 18 16 2:43.8112 0:11.2171
39 777 J.Richards/A.Fogg Team Kiwi Holden VT 5000 14 4 2:43.8183 0:11.2242
40 87 R.Salmon/D.White Oneworld Hotel & Sports Bar Ford AU 5000 12 11 2:44.6183 0:12.0242
41 25 T.Whyoon/J.Brock Terry Whyoon Racing Holden VS 5000 10 9 2:45.3838 0:12.7897
2 J.Plato/Y.Muller Holden racing Team Holden VT 5000 5 4 2:45.4024 0:12.8083
97 T.Sipp/S.Beikoff Graphic Skills Racing Holden VS 5000 15 6 2:46.7977 0:14.2036
44 15 Nathan Pretty (VIC) Holden Racing Team Holden VT 5000 15 14 2:46.8103 0:14.2162
1 C.Lowndes/M.Skaife Holden Racing Team Holden VT 5000 7 1 2:48.6998 0:16.1057
56 Bill Sieders (NSW) All - Trans Spares Pty Ltd Ford EL 5000 1 1 2:49.8821 0:17.2880
47 37 B.Attard/R.Hurd The Xerox Shop Holden VS 5000 11 6 2:49.8852 0:17.2911
48 14 Peter Gazzard (SA) IMS - Carplan Holden VT 5000 13 11 2:56.3668 0:23.7727
49 38 P.Field/S.Howison South Pacific Motor Racing Holden VS 5000 5 4 2:59.3900 0:26.7959
50 36 N.Schembri/G.Quartly Bettergrow Ford EL 5000 11 4 3:01.9454 0:29.3513
51 20 Gary Willmington (NSW) Eastern Creek Int Karts Ford EL 5000 2 1 3:06.9851 0:34.3910

[Crash Test]

Pos Car Driver Entrant Vehicle Cap CL Laps Race.Time Fastest...Lap

1 34 G.Tander/J.Bargwanna Valvoline Cummins Repco Team Holden VT 5000 161 07:23:30.2348 83 2:15.5897
2 18 P.Radisich/J.Bright Shell Helix Racing Ford AU 5000 161 07:23:32.6462 80 2:15.1621
3 7 S.Richards/G.Murphy Kmart Racing Holden VT 5000 161 07:23:35.3390 83 2:14.9144
4 17 S.Johnson/C.McLean Shell Helix Racing Ford AU 5000 161 07:23:36.0072 158 2:15.3735
5 15 N.Pretty/T.Kelly Holden Racing Team Holden VT 5000 161 07:23:55.9086 153 2:16.1084
6 1 C.Lowndes/M.Skaife Holden Racing Team Holden VT 5000 161 07:24:29.7124 83 2:14.2602*
7 4 C.Baird/S.Wills Pirtek Racing Ford AU 5000 161 07:24:46.0178 107 2:16.7327
8 16 D.McDougall/A.Miedecke Pepsi - Cola Holden VT 5000 161 07:25:36.4566 156 2:16.8340
9 12 D.Parsons/D.Hossack Kmart Racing Holden VT 5000 161 07:25:46.6063 87 2:17.8607
10 2 J.Plato/Y.Muller Holden racing Team Holden VT 5000 159 07:23:56.7902 85 2:15.9444
11 11 L.Perkins/R.Ingall Castrol Perkins Race Team Holden VT 5000 159 07:24:11.7932 70 2:15.2309
12 29 P.Morris/M.Neal Big Kev Racing/Team Nemo Holden VT 5000 158 07:23:30.7691 78 2:16.4888
13 5 G.Seton/N.Crompton Ford Tickford Racing Ford AU 5000 158 07:24:40.2686 72 2:14.3016
14 43 P.Weel/G.Crick K&J Thermal Products Racing Ford AU 5000 157 07:23:49.0714 85 2:16.4738
15 22 R.Bates/B.Peters Colourscan Printing Ford AU 5000 157 07:24:05.1289 85 2:17.4557
16 777 J.Richards/A.Fogg Team Kiwi Holden VT 5000 157 07:24:21.6488 89 2:16.8597
17 87 R.Salmon/D.White Oneworld Hotel & Sports Bar Ford AU 5000 155 07:24:25.1649 68 2:19.3513
18 10 M.Larkham/A.Menu Mitre 10 Ford Racing Ford AU 5000 154 07:24:10.8613 81 2:16.1144
19 97 T.Sipp/S.Beikoff Graphic Skills Racing Holden VS 5000 153 07:25:07.6361 82 2:21.6730
20 150 D.Lindstrom/M.Price Ultra Tune Racing Holden VS 5000 150 07:23:53.5490 95 2:22.8607
21 38 P.Field/S.Howison South Pacific Motor Racing Holden VS 5000 149 07:23:42.9587 76 2:25.8386
22 36 N.Schembri/G.Quartly Bettergrow Ford EL 5000 147 07:26:00.2533 67 2:24.3420
23 56 R.Russell/S.Coulter All - Trans Spares Pty Ltd Ford EL 5000 144 07:25:27.2989 82 2:25.7241
24 76 M.White/S.Owen Challenge Recruitment Racing Holden VS 5000 143 07:25:20.1073 95 2:18.2217
25 44 M.Rose/C.D'Agostin The Supercar Experience Holden VS 5000 141 07:23:51.4465 131 2:22.1157
26 42 B.Sieders/L.Sieders All - Trans Spares Pty Ltd Ford EL 5000 137 07:23:51.0771 66 2:21.8896
27 14 R.Crick/P.Gazzard IMS - Carplan Holden VT 5000 137 07:25:25.0944 68 2:22.4880
28 59 L.Crambrook/G.Baxter Team South Australia Ford EL 5000 133 07:24:52.8156 86 2:22.1575
29 77 R.Mork/S.Williams V8 Racing Holden VS 5000 127 07:25:52.2335 74 2:23.8337
NC 20 G.Holt/G.Willmington Eastern Creek Int Karts Ford EL 5000 116 07:25:05.0357 61 2:24.0812
DNF 21 B.Jones/T.Mezera OzEmail Internet Racing Ford AU 5000 159 07:20:51.8734 80 2:16.2704
DNF 46 J.Faulkner/A.Macrow Team Asia OnLine Holden VT 5000 154 07:10:35.1199 82 2:16.9221
DNF 9 T.Longhurst/D.Besnard Caltex Havoline Race Team Ford AU 5000 151 07:01:09.1617 107 2:16.6884
DNF 75 A.Tratt/A.Jones Toll Racing Ford AU 5000 150 07:20:24.9820 72 2:16.5658
DNF 600 J.Bowe/J.Richards CAT Racing Ford AU 5000 147 06:57:49.6059 86 2:16.8150
DNF 30 C.Harris/S.Voight carsales.com.au Ford AU 5000 141 06:45:19.8167 69 2:21.2974
DNF 8 L.Youlden/C.Murchison Castrol Perkins Race Team Holden VT 5000 128 06:04:47.6510 78 2:19.1654
DNF 54 C.McConville/G.Brabham Delphi - Wynns Racing Holden VT 5000 105 04:55:00.7321 79 2:17.9936
DNF 50 M.Donaher/T.Mecklem UltraTune TDK Valvoline Racing Holden VT 5000 105 05:24:19.4245 95 2:17.6326
DNF 23 G.Full/P.Scifleet Lansvale/PPG Holden VS 5000 89 04:30:28.6451 76 2:19.5578
DNF 26 J.Cotter/P.Doulman Team Gatorade Racing Holden VT 5000 87 04:13:26.8657 83 2:18.2789
DNF 31 S.Ellery/P.Stokell Super Cheap Auto Racing Ford AU 5000 82 04:00:45.0332 68 2:14.3815
DNF 37 B.Attard/R.Hurd The Xerox Shop Holden VS 5000 81 03:55:52.0249 78 2:25.5300
DNF 28 R.Forbes/J.Cleland Wynns Racing Holden VT 5000 78 03:46:11.4114 71 2:17.7919
DNF 25 T.Wyhoon/J.Brock Terry Wyhoon Racing Holden VS 5000 72 03:29:18.9895 69 2:22.9451
DNF 45 D.Canto/I.Moncieff Dean Canto Racing Ford AU 5000 56 03:01:40.5898 29 2:24.9357
DNF 6 W.Gardner/N.Bates Ford Tickford Racing Ford AU 5000 45 02:18:04.3333 38 2:21.0359
DNF 96 R.McLeod/W.Wakefield Chiko Racers Holden VS 5000 42 02:01:15.1776 36 2:28.1782
DNF 35 G.Ritter/T.Leahey Valvoline Cummins Repco Team Holden VT 5000 40 02:01:05.2612 34 2:26.7384
DNF 3 S.Reed/T.Ashby Lansvale/PPG Holden VS 5000 39 01:52:33.6555 31 2:25.5133
DNF 61 Ross Halliday (SA) Halliday Motorsport Ford EL 5000 38 01:49:31.9822 33 2:33.7436
DNF 24 Paul Romano (QLD) Romano Racing Holden VS 5000 23 01:05:49.7893 21 2:28.9076
DNF 55 Rod Nash (VIC) Autopro Racing Holden VT 5000 13 38:00.9327 12 2:34.5982
DNF 67 Owen Kelly (VIC) Big Kev Racing/Team Nemo Holden VS 5000 2 7:30.6787 2 2:44.3702
DNS 57 Chris Butler (NZ) Trevor Crittenden Motorsport Holden VS 5000
DNS 500 Alan Heath (SA) Team South Australia Ford AU 5000

[Valve Bounce]

I watched the entire race. Couldn't believe I would. Better than watching F1, and much more exciting this year. Therre were also many bonehead moves by many inexperienced drivers, most of them when they were being lapped. Radisch was very lucky not to be taken out towards the end. Unfortunately, Longhurst was taken out while he looked like winning. So, what do you think of the result, as well as the race?

[Crash Test]

Bonehead backmarkers: Like Matt Neal, John Faulkner? Notice how these guys are nto from planet Mork??

Ahh the race...

Well if any Holden had to win it I'm happy it was car 34. Didn't really want HRT to win, and definately didn't want Castrol number 11 to win after their outburst. One funny thing though, did you notice how Russell was feeling "sorry about the guys in the rear of the field during the wet conditions". Ummm, I wonder if Castrol had a word in his ear that all of the people from Planet Mork are Castrol customers??

I wonder if the Bathurst of old (ie 1000km endurance race, not pace car, pace car, pace car sprint race to the next pace car) is gone forever. This is the third or fourth year in a row the pace car could have been classified as a finisher...

Also WRT the DJR car, they quite easily could have had a 1-2 had they not screwed up their strategy...but you get that

[marcus]

bonehead backmarkers..i dont think there was that much bad driving...the longhurst faulkner incident was strange..i dont know exactly what happened there because we didnt get to see that much of it...as for the team NZ guys ..that was unfortunate but no matter what happens you are still goin to get some contact with backmarkers...and the moves werent just backmarkers..what about Craig lowndes crazy move on nathan Pretty..that could have ended in tears..but it was a good race and considering the conditions there wasnt alot of carnage the biggest problem was getting bogged at the chase..I guess the Chiko boys are not to happy with Anthony tratt after his move (I think that one deserves to be called a bonehead move) and I did notice Ingall talking about the guys back in 50th or so ..made me laugh and of course repeat what he was calling everyone the other day.

the shell team should have done better but their statergy got screwed up but 2nd and 4th is a good effort for a 2 car team.

and what about Steve Ellery driving off the planet..it was good to see him giving it everything after he got bogged and it was pretty exciting watching him try and fight back.

despite the Valvoline boys winning the drive of the race for me was the young lions car driven by Todd Kelly and Nathan pretty they stayed out of trouble all day and drove a consistent race and were rewarded with 5th place in the end..

but a great job by all the competitors and I carnt with until 2001.

[Valve Bounce]

Someone has to stand by the pace car - so I will . (OK, don't kill me yet). Without the pace car, we may have had some very serious accidents, and despite the attrocious weather, there was not one single serious prang. It also concertina'd the field, making for some very good racing, though the fairness of this is something that I have commented on previously in the F1 forum. Can somebody please tell me the exact details of the Longhurst car incident 11 laps from the end!!

[Airhead]

Classic call Crash Test.

It wasn't a bad race, just another Holden victory.

The Longhurst thing was strange, why bother to rush past JF? If that is what he did, Longhurst is usually not backwards in coming forward on the attack yet he didn't say very much against JF.

Radisich was very lucky, Gardner wasn't. The Crompton, Skaife, Morris incident was just plain crazy, did everybody forget the race was 161 laps in distance? The interesting thing was that technically the three cars were level at the entry to the corner, going in was OK as far as the nose to B pillar ratio rule goes. Just everybody diving for the apex together and then trying to be the first up mountain straight was the problem. And Seaton out for another year.

[elephino]

There was a race? I couldn't see it through the rain and mud

Well it was very interesting from my angle, about 3 inches lower than normal due to the excess amount of rain in the week up to and including the Sunday. But I have now dried out.

Don't ask me what exactly happened as I never know much about a race as I can never hear the commentary and rarely get to find out any actual results. But it is still a lot of fun taking photos. Especially at the Chase when people keep falling off the track.

Not much else I'm going to say now as I'm too tired.