Bathurst 12 Hour regulations expand vehicle eligibility
September 30, 2009 by George Skentzos
With the V8 Supercars resembling their road-going counterparts in silhouette alone – although even that is arguable – the Bathurst 12 Hour Showroom Enduro is quickly earning a reputation as one of the highlights of the Australian motorsport calendar.
Now organisers have tweaked the rules in order to increase the range of eligible vehicles which will compete in the 50 strong grid at Mt Panorama over the weekend of February 12 – 14.
These new supplementary regulations have already been provided to all potential competitors with a number of new cars already under construction.
“There are no major changes to the overall philosophy of the Race. The class structure has been tweaked to reflect that of the Australian Production Car Championship with some additional models eligible for the Race. An Invitational Class has also been added for vehicles that do not strictly meet Group 3E Production Car Regulations however are within the broad philosophy of the Event. They will add some flavour to the Event without making any of the existing front running cars uncompetitive.”
Among the list of new eligible cars are the 2010 SS Camaro, Ford Mustang GT, Audi S4, S5, Lexus IS-F and the Nissan 370Z.
“Both the Camaro and Mustang are now sold new under licence in Australia, and can be road registered with full new car warranty. When you consider much of the design work of the new Camaro was actually done by Holden, it’s a perfect fit to take up the challenge to the race winning BMW 335i and Mitsubishi Evos.”
With last year’s competition largely dominated by a fleet of Mitsubishi Evolution X’s, these new entries are sure to upset the balance and create an even more exciting racing experience.
Holden and Ford fans are still catered for with the newly released HSV E2 GTS likely to be a popular entry thanks to its significantly larger brake upgrade, ready to compete alongside the FG series from FPV.
Nine classes will make up the field with the outright honours expected to be fought out between the BMW 335 and 135, Mitsubishi’s evergreen Evolution, the Nissan 370Z, Subaru WRX STI, Ford, Holden and now the new Camaro.
Organisers are also hoping to turn the event into a much more family-oriented affair by offering all school students, primary and secondary, free entry.
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This sounds quite good actually. I reckon the including the Camaro and Mustang is probably pushing it a bit but non the less should make for some interesting competition.
This is real racing, not like that V8 Supercars crap.
This event is miles better than V8 supercars but yet to be telecast-ed live with a crummy hour and a bit highlights review weeks later.
I do not know how the ISF made it in there because as a showroom car it is priced over $100k! Based on price this car should be in a different event like the Nations Cup, either way the ISF will only be getting in the way of the EVO X anyway :)
I doubt that somehow….its about handling and reliability,which is why BMW and the Evos have creamed the comp over the years.
I doubt that any commercial network would dedicate a full 12 hours non stop to a moto race such as this.. particularly as it will most likely be held on a weekend during the AFL NRL Footy season.
Not only that but the fact that there are so many V8 Supercar haters on this site who keep saying that they wish that there was another form of motorsport [apart from V8 Supercars] that was closer to Production Cars shows that they aren’t avid motorsport fans as they don’t realise that production car racing actually exists
Surely one of the free to air HD channels could take it on eg. OneHD which will probably only be telecasting the same AFL games as on Ch10 anyway. I guess the killer would be the costs behid the broadcast – a Bathurst coverage anything like the extent of the upcoming V8 Supercar round would cost a small fortune over a 12 hour telecast I presume.
This is a far superior formula; machines that the common man can actually relate to and uses from day to day. It is sad this does not get better media coverage. The V8 superbores are now treading water; General Motors is insolvent and Ford is slowly pulling from the formula.
I admit that V8’s really need to up the ante, but no need to attack them. These cars really do have interesting tech in them. Be thankful that we dont have to suffer NASCAR and its stupid Ovals. the 12 hour on the other hand should be the premier event of Aussie motorsport as it really is a class act. Cant wait to see the new HSV’s going up against their cousins from the states. This years race will really be an interesting one. Lets hope the Holden/HSV camp dont have a disaster like the sportwagon last year.
I think you will find that this years 12 hour has already been run and won.. with Mitsubishi Lancers 1-2-3.. The Holden Sportwagon finished 15th [won its class].
Next years race will be held on 12-14 February
I was fortunate to work at the 2008 Bathurst 12hr and as an avid fan of showroom racing this event is one that will excel in the future.
There are several models that could be included in the classes….
A baby class would be great, say cars upto 1.6lts
Mazda bring on a 2
We dont need to show the race for the full 12 hours on TV. When it was 1st on Channel 10 broadcast the 1st hour live, then a break before coming back on around lunch time. My brother and i got up early for each start when we could including one that started at 430am. Why can’t they do it again. The race is on in February when no footy is on.
By the way yes we know that V8’s are Commodores and Falcons pretty much in name only but its still much better racing than British and WTCC and if you dont like it don’t bloody watch. I would like to see our top category revert back to a Group C style formula.
As I think more about it why couldn’t they basically do a full coverage on Sky Channel or an HD channel for international consumption as well – from all reports the current Bathurst Supercar round has wide coverage OS and draws a huge international audience. After all the Bathurst circuit is renowned as one of the best and most challenging touring car tracks of its type anywhere in the world & rightly so!
This event is like the Bathurst of old, and is much more interesting for it. I don’t watch V8 Supercar racing but I would watch this.
In numerous articles you read on this site, there is always room for a jab at the V8’s.
No-one thinks they are production cars. No-one expects them to be related to a road-going car. They are, however, entertaining. Which explains why they are expected to overtake NRL as the second most watched sport in Australia.
Get over it already.
“No-one thinks they are production cars. No-one expects them to be related to a road-going car.”
You’d be surprised how many Big Mac lovers think it’s production Holdens vs production Fords…