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| Race Information | |
| Venue | Mount Panorama Circuit |
| Number of times held | 67 |
| First held | 1960 |
| Race Format | |
| Race 1 | |
| Laps | 161 |
| Distance | 1,000.29[1] km |
| Last Event (2025) | |
| Overall Winner | |
 Matthew Payne Garth Tander | Penrite Racing |
| Race Winners | |
| Matthew PayneGarth Tander | Penrite Racing |
TheBathurst 1000 (known for sponsorship reasons as theRepco Bathurst 1000) is a 1,000.29 kilometres (621.6 mi)touring car race held annually on theMount Panorama Circuit inBathurst, New South Wales,Australia. It is run as part of theSupercars Championship, the most recent incarnation of theAustralian Touring Car Championship. In1987 it was a round of theWorld Touring Car Championship. The Bathurst 1000 is colloquially known asThe Great Race among motorsport fans and media.[2] The race originated with the1960 Armstrong 500 with a 500 mile race distance at thePhillip Island Grand Prix Circuit; it was relocated to Bathurst in 1963 also with the 500 mile distance and has continued there every year since, extending to a 1,000 kilometre race in 1973. The race was traditionally run on the New South WalesLabour-Day long weekend in early October. Since 2001, the race has been run on the weekend following the long weekend, generally the second weekend of October.
Race winners are presented with thePeter Brock Trophy, introduced at the2006 race after the sudden death ofPeter Brock in an accident. Brock was the most successful driver in the race's history, winning the event nine times. He was also known as one of the most popular and fan-friendly drivers during his long career, and was given the moniker "King of the Mountain" for these reasons.[3]
The Mount Panorama Circuit was first used on 16 April 1938 for theAustralian Tourist Trophy meeting for motorcycles, followed two days later by theAustralian Grand Prix for cars.[4] The track uses temporarily-closed-public roads and is known for the 174-metre (571 ft) elevation between its highest and lowest points. The first turn, Hell Corner, is a ninety-degree left-hander. Mountain Straight, a gentle climb where cars reach speeds of 255 km/h (158 mph), leads into Griffin's Bend, anoff-camber right-hander that leads into The Cutting, a sharp left-hander with a steep incline. A complex corner called Reid Park comes next, where a number of drivers have spun after notshort shifting at theapex. The course continues down to Sulman Park and McPhillamy Park. Drivers are unable to see the descending road and enter Skyline and the first of TheEsses at 220 km/h (140 mph) before The Dipper, one of the most famous corners in Australian motorsport. Cars then negotiate Forrest's Elbow before powering down Conrod Straight, the fastest section of the track where cars can reach 300 km/h (190 mph). The Chase is a long sweepingchicane where cars are on therev limiter turning at 300 km/h before a large braking zone to exit at 130 km/h (81 mph). Murray's is the 23rd and final turn, and also the slowest part of the circuit, before cars return to the start-finish straight. The start-finish straight features an offset start, with the finish line towards the back of the starting grid closer to Murray's Corner.
Spectator areas have spread along the track over the decades, but there are several private properties bordering the track; spectators are therefore unable to access every trackside vantage point. Spectator vantage points have also become less intimate to the track over recent years because of debris fencing and increased run-off dimensions installed to meet upgradedinternational FIA standards.[5]
During its history, the race has been conducted forproduction saloon cars,[6]Group E Series Production Touring Cars,[7]Group C Touring Cars,Group A Touring Cars,Group 3A Touring Cars,Super Touring, and currently Supercars. Until 1995 more than one class competed in each event. In its early years, the Bathurst 500/1000 was generally a stand-alone event, occasionally becoming a round of a national series such as theAustralian Manufacturers' Championship, but never part of the most significant touring car series in Australia, theAustralian Touring Car Championship. Since 1999, the race has been run exclusively as a championship-points round of the Supercars category. In 1999 and 2000, it was the final round of the championship and on both occasions decided the championship winner. The race was once again the final round of the season in 2020, with the re-organised season having been cut short because of the COVID-19 pandemic, though the championship had already been decided on points.
Many marques — includingMorris,Jaguar,Nissan,BMW andVolvo — have competed in and won the event in Bathurst. However, the race is best known for the presence of the traditional rivals of Australian motorsport,Ford andHolden, which have won all but six races. Owing to the magnitude of the Ford-versus-Holden rivalry, for the Bathurst 1000 races from 1995 to 2012 the rules of Group 3A and later V8 Supercars mandated that only FordFalcons and HoldenCommodores were allowed to compete. In 2013, V8 Supercars' rules changed and other marques began to enter the race, including the return of past winners Nissan. Holden has the most overall victories at 34, followed by Ford with 21; Nissan is the only other multiple winner with 2 wins.
Originally known as the Armstrong 500, the race wasfirst held on 20 November 1960 at thePhillip Island Grand Prix Circuit inPhillip Island,Victoria, over a 500-mile (800 km) distance. The organisers, the Light Car Club of Australia, claimed the race was 'the world's premier production saloon car race'.[6] The intention was to determine which cars, across five classes based on engine capacity, had the best combination of performance and reliability. It was also a showcase for the Armstrong company's shock absorbers and related products. Entry was limited to standard, unmodified productionsaloons built or assembled in Australia. All cars had to complete the first 100 miles without stopping for fuel, oil, or a driver change. Any mechanical problems in that time had to be resolved unassisted by the driver, using only the tools that came with the car. There was no official outright winner, only class winners.Frank Coad andJohn Roxburgh, in aVauxhall Cresta, were the first to complete the 500-mile race distance. It was the only Vauxhall in the field of 45 cars includingN.S.U.s,Simcas,Peugeots, Morris,Austins, Fords andStandard Vanguards.
The race was held twice more at Phillip Island. In1961Bob Jane andHarry Firth, sharing an Australian assembledMercedes-Benz 220 SE, were the first drivers to complete the 167 laps. They were over a lap ahead of theStudebaker Lark driven byDavid McKay and Brian Foley, which in turn was a lap clear of theVauxhall Velox of Frank Coad and John Roxburgh. Class wins were achieved byStudebaker,Mercedes-Benz, Peugeot andRenault. In1962 the class structure changed to one based on price. Jane and Firth switched to a Ford Falcon and once again completed the 500 miles first. Class honours went to Studebaker, Ford, Renault andVolkswagen.
In those days the Phillip Island track was surfaced with a "cold mix" bitumen which could not stand up to the pounding of dozens of race cars going flat out for 500 miles. The track surface broke up and became unsafe during races.
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In 1963 the Armstrong 500 moved to the 6.2-kilometre (3.9 mi)Mount Panorama Circuit atBathurst inNew South Wales.[8] The Bathurst 500 was organised and promoted by a consortium of theSeven Network, theAustralian Racing Drivers Club (ARDC), andBathurst Regional Council; this arrangement continued until 1998. Its popularity grew rapidly, chiefly because it became a means for car manufacturers to showcase their products: the race cars had to be identical to those on the showroom floor. The first years on the Mount Panorama circuit were dominated by swift and agile small cars, such as theFord Cortina andMini Cooper. Although the class structure was retained — with many "races within the race" — the emphasis on achieving first outright increased. In1963, Bob Jane and Harry Firth again triumphed, this time in a Cortina GT. In1964 the pair drove competing Cortina GTs; Jane won withGeorge Reynolds as co-driver.Barry 'Bo' Seton was second with Herb Taylor. Harry Firth was third with John Reaburn.
TheConfederation of Australian Motor Sport introduced newGroup E Series Production Touring Car regulations in 1965 but the Armstrong 500 continued with its own regulations.[9]
1965 brought victory for the first overt "Bathurst Special", the Cortina GT 500. Bo Seton andMidge Bosworth completed the 130 laps first.Bruce McPhee andBarry Mulholland were second in an identical car. Third outright and first in Class C were Brian Foley and Peter Manton in a Morris Cooper S. The Geoghegan brothers,Ian andLeo, famously drove the race wearing business suits supplied by McDowells.
In 1966 and 1967 an Irishtobacco company sponsored the race, which became known as the "Gallaher 500".1966 was the last four-cylinder victory for more than two decades.Rauno Aaltonen andBob Holden drove their Mini Cooper S to a hard-fought win against stiff competition mainly comprising other Coopers.[8] Mini Coopers filled the first nine places in Class C and outright. Class D was won by aChrysler VC Valiant V8 that completed 124 laps. Class A was won by the Nissan Factory backedDatsun 1300 of Moto Kitamo and Kunimitsu Takahashi. Class B was taken out by an 1100cc version of the Mini Cooper.
1967 rule changes mandated a minimum number of pit-stops to negate the advantage economical smaller cars had of requiring fewer stops.[8] This change favoured the larger, thirstier Fords and Holdens. The Minis handled the corners well and could, theoretically, run the entire race on a single tank of petrol, but the larger-engined cars were faster in a straight line.[8] Ford's development of the 289 cubic inch V8Ford Falcon GT signalled the end of small cars as outright contenders. 1967 was also the first year that starting grid positions were allocated according to practice lap times rather than by class groupings. This was also the first year that an official trophy was awarded to the first team to cover the 500 miles.
The1967 victory of theXR Falcon GT over the smallerAlfa Romeo 1600 GTVs and Mini Coopers surprised many pundits as the Falcon GT was unproven. The highly regarded, and more expensive, Alfa GTV had been seen as the emerging force in touring cars. However, the Falcon GT's V8 power was well suited to the Mount Panorama circuit, particularly on the long straights. Thus was forged the adage that "there is no substitute for cubic inches", which became synonymous with racing at Bathurst. Initially the Geoghegan brothers' Falcon was awarded victory but some hours later Harry Firth and Fred Gibson were declared winners.[8] During the race the Geoghegan car had entered the pit area through the rear access lane off Mountain Straight and erroneously accumulated an extra lap on the ARDC timing board. Third place in Class D fell to the venerable Studebaker Lark of Warren Weldon and John Hall. Class E was won byDoug Chivas andMax Stewart in an Alfa GTV. Classes B and C were won by variants of the Mini, and Class A was won by aDatsun 1000 piloted by John Roxburgh andDoug Whiteford.
The popularity of the race grew rapidly during the 1960s. Most Australian manufacturers and assemblers became heavily involved. A good result in the long and tough race added credibility to the car and its brand, especially in terms of performance, durability and reliability. An outright or class victory was a significant opportunity to increase sales and market share. It was during this period that the famous Holden–Ford–Chrysler rivalry originated. The production-car battle between the "Big Three" was fought at Bathurst. This rivalry spawned Australia's most famous muscle cars, reverentially known as "Bathurst Specials". Ford's Falcon GT and laterGT-HO, Holden'sMonaro andTorana, and Chrysler's Pacer andCharger models were the result of constant development of race-worthy cars that the general public could buy.
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In1968, sponsorship changed again and the race became known as the Hardie-Ferodo 500. It was also the year that advertising was first allowed to be displayed on the cars. In response to Ford's 1967 Bathurst victory, Holden entered the Monaro GTS 327. This was a coupe based on the HK model four-doorKingswood family sedan. Engineered as an affordable personal luxury car with the ability to win Bathurst, it had a 327 cubic inchChevrolet V8 (as the "GTS 327" name implies). This engine enabled the Monaro GTS 327 to outperform the updated, yet smaller-engined, 302 cubic inch Falcon GTs and win in 1968. This was Holden's first Bathurst 500 win.
The1969 Hardie-Ferodo 500 saw the first of the Ford Falcon GT-HOs. This Phase One GT-HO Bathurst special Falcon was powered by a 351 cubic inch V8 sourced from Ford America. Its 'HO' specification included upgraded suspension components such as front and rear stabiliser bars. At Bathurst it was fitted with race tyres. Holden upgraded the GTS 327 Monaro to the GTS 350, which included better race-style handling and a more powerful Chevrolet V8 engine of 350 cubic inches. The new GTS 350 Monaro, in the hands ofColin Bond andTony Roberts, was able to hold out Ford to claim the second victory for Holden.[8] In 1969 there was a multi-car accident on lap one. After the first 10 cars passed through The Esses, contact between two Falcons caused one to roll over. Several cars coming around the blind corner crashed into the stationary car. The track was almost blocked with wreckage but expert flag marshalling enabled the cars to pass through in single file until the debris was cleared. The race was a disaster for Ford as many Falcon tyres failed because of the speed and weight of the Falcons. Ford even a ran a post-race advertising campaign using the slogan "we were a little deflated".
The 1969 race also saw the début ofPeter Brock. Brock and Bond were drivers for the semi-officialHolden Dealer Team (HDT), which had been formed earlier in the year to counter the official Ford Special Vehicles division that was churning out ever-evolving GT-HO Falcons. The "Old Fox", Harry Firth, who had been in charge of the Ford racing effort until he was abruptly replaced by an American, Al Turner, took charge of the HDT.
1970 saw a change of strategy as Holden chose to race the smallerTorana GTR XU-1 rather than the Monaro. The XU-1 was a special "Bathurst" version of the six-cylinder LC Torana. As the embryonic HQ Holden required too much development to be competitive, Holden created an alternative to the V8 muscle car. The XU-1 was more agile, cheaper and more economical. Triple carburettors on the "Red" motor provided an excellentpower-to-weight ratio. The XU-1 was easier on brakes and tyres, thereby minimizing the number of required pit stops. However, Ford refined the GT-HO to Phase Two specification with an even more powerful and better-breathing 351 V8. With tyres that were able to endure the power and torque, the GT-HO reinforced the adage that "there is no substitute for cubic inches".Allan Moffat's GT-HO received the chequered flag followed by Bruce McPhee's identical car. The Torana could not compensate for the power advantage that the Falcons had on the Bathurst straights.[8]
Rule changes for 1970 enabled a single driver to complete the entire race distance. To reduce the chances of another first lap calamity the starting grid was changed from 2-3-2 to a staggered 2-2-2 formation. This meant that the back markers had to start the race from around the corner on Conrod Straight. The race continued to be run to unique regulations which were more restrictive than those which were applied toSeries Production racing.[10]
1971 was another Ford victory with Moffat at the wheel. It was won by the ultimate GT-HO, theXY-model Falcon GT-HO Phase Three. This featured upgrades to engine power and aerodynamics, which made it one of the world's fastest four-door mass-produced production cars. Chrysler replaced its Pacers with its new two-door, the Charger. This was powered by a 265 cu in (4.34 L) in-line HEMI six-cylinder engine with triple Weber carburettors. However, by noon on race day, Moffat was far enough in front to pit without losing the lead. Moffat completed the 500 miles first, followed by other GT-HOs in second and third places and filling six of the top seven places. Class wins were achieved byMazda 1300, Datsun 1600,Mazda RX-2, Torana XU1 and Falcon GT-HO.[8]
1972 saw controversy, following a media-driven "Supercar Scare", which had accumulated enough political momentum to force Holden to postpone introduction of a V8 Torana for two years. Ford abandoned theXA-based Phase Four GT-HO Falcon. Chrysler also followed by not going ahead with a competition version of its V8-powered Charger. Adding to that, the1972 Hardie-Ferodo 500 was the first Bathurst 500 to be run in wet weather. Allan Moffat was unable to withstand the immense pressure placed on him by Brock in his XU-1. The Torana proved more than a match in the atrocious conditions. After being challenged by Brock's furiously driven XU-1, Moffat was unable to exploit the V8's power advantage and spun early in the race. He also incurred two one-minute penalties for starting the engine while refuelling. Brock, meanwhile, was able to hold off the Phase Three GT-HO ofJohn French and the E49 Charger of Doug Chivas to win the 1972 race, thus temporarily refuting the "no substitute for cubic inches" adage. Brock had pushed the car to its limits in a spectacular display of car control. It was a significant victory for a number of reasons, the first of Brock's nine Bathurst wins which later led to him being nicknamed the "King of the Mountain" and "Peter Perfect". Brock's win also signalled the first Bathurst victory for a six-cylinder engined car, an achievement that would not be repeated until 1991 when theNissan Skyline GT-R "Godzilla" took the chequered flag. It was also the birth of the Torana legend as this uniquely Australian performance car went on to become one of Australia's most successful touring cars, due in part to numerical supremacy on the track and the withdrawal of Ford and Chrysler from motor racing later in the seventies.
1972 was also the last year that drivers were permitted to drive without co-drivers.
The 1972 race was a round of the1972 Australian Manufacturers' Championship, which was open toGroup E Series Production Touring Cars.[7]
The race was extended from 500 miles to 1000 kilometres in 1973. The increased pace of the cars had resulted in the 500-mile race distance being achieved earlier each year, and sinceAustralia had converted to themetric system the increased distance was considered more appropriate than 800 km for an endurance race. To reduce the threat to public safety,homologation rules were relaxed to permit certain modifications to the race cars. Ostensibly this removed the need to build batches of high speed road cars and improved the durability of the actual race cars. TheGroup E Series Production Touring Car regulations, which had applied to the 1972 race,[7] were replaced by the newGroup C Touring Car regulations for 1973.[11] Upgrades were allowed to seats, lubrication systems, camshafts, carburettors, suspension, brakes and wheel rim sizes. These changes advantaged the better-resourced teams, as a great deal of testing was now needed to optimize the performance of the race cars. Factory teams had the best access to improved components that were often not readily available to private competitors.
In 1973 Holden campaigned upgraded XU-1s. Privateers entered improved Chargers. Ford unleashed its new XA model "hard top" coupeFord Falcon GT which had been pioneered byJohn Goss. While not designated as a GT-HO, race-prepared Hardtop GTs incorporated most of the stillborn Phase Four's components, including the four-bolt 351 V8 engine. The1973 Hardie-Ferodo 1000 started at 9:30 am. When the flag dropped the "no substitute for cubic inches" ethic prevailed as the Goss Falcon hardtop powered away from pole position. At the end of lap one Fords held the first four places with Toranas fifth, six and seventh. The highest placed Charger was in eighth position. Brock inherited the lead when the Fords started pitting for fuel. Brock and co-driver Chivas had contrived a good lead when a miscalculation caused the Torana to run out of fuel at the top of the Mountain. Intending to perform one less pit stop than the Ford teams, HDT team manager Harry Firth had instructed Chivas to "Get Max Laps" via a hand-held sign. The XU-1 coasted down Conrod Straight and came to a halt just before the entrance to the Pits. Chivas pushed the XU-1 up hill along pit lane. His pit crew could not lend assistance as this would have resulted in disqualification. By the time the XU-1 was refueled, Moffat was well in front. Brock set off in heroic pursuit of Moffat's Falcon GT but the XU-1 suffered a deflating tyre. Moffat claimed another Falcon victory, his third in only four years. Co-driven by Ian (Pete) Geoghegan, the winning Ford was the only Falcon classified as a finisher. 1973 was the last competitive appearance for Chrysler, with the marque disappearing from the Group C category almost entirely. Class wins were achieved by a Datsun 1200, an Alfa GTV, a Mazda RX2 and, of course, the Falcon GT. At the end of the year Ford Australia gave the Falcon GT race cars to their drivers and withdrew from racing.
During the1974 Australian Touring Car Championship the Torana GTR XU-1 was gradually superseded by the wider bodied SL/R 5000. The Holden Bathurst contingent for this year included 13 SL/R 5000s, 7 XU-1s and one HQ Monaro GTS. Ford was represented in the outright category by three Falcon Hardtop headed by Moffat's Brut 33XB Falcon Hardtop GT. He was supported by John Goss andKevin Bartlett in an XA Hardtop andMurray Carter in another XB Falcon Hardtop. The V8 Toranas ran away at the start of the1974 race and Holden victory seemed assured. By lap 11 Brock had already lapped 7 of the outright Class D cars. On lap 12 Moffat pitted and lost several laps as a new coil was fitted. By lap 20 the HDT Toranas of Brock and Bond were over a minute in front of Goss in the only competitive Falcon. By lap 85 the two HDT Toranas were four laps clear of the field. Around the 90 lap mark rain started to fall at the top of the mountain. The HDT Toranas soon pitted for wet weather tyres after which the Bond Torana started smoking from an oil leak. The car was eventually black flagged. While the mechanics were trying to fix the problem Brock pitted with a broken piston caused by a failed oil pump. Bond returned to the track but lost more time with a spin. Despite determined driving fromJim Richards and Wayne Negus, the Goss/Bartlett car was able to gain a slight lead as the Torana challenge faded amidst oil smoke and torrential rain. Bartlett completed the 163 laps in first place. The only other car on the same lap was the Forbes/Negus SL/R 5000. The smaller classes were won by a Morris Cooper S, an Alfa GTV and aMazda RX-3. Car number 34, a loneMorris Marina, finished 6th in Class C having completed 125 laps.
Holden's 308 cubic inch V8-powered Toranas scored Bathurst victories in1975,1976,1978 and1979 in L34 andA9X configuration. Ford's 351XC Falcon famously finished first and second in1977. On the final lap, the twoMoffat Ford Dealers entries of Allan Moffat and Colin Bond ran information down Conrod Straight, with the helicopter footage of the formation becoming one of the most famous images in Bathurst 1000 history.[12] This was Moffat's last Bathurst 1000 victory. Group C carried over into the 1980s. Holden and Ford were the only manufacturers to win under these regulations, despite facing increased imported competition, notably from theMazda RX-7 that was campaigned effectively by Moffat and Kevin Bartlett's 350 V8-poweredChevrolet Camaro. The turbo-poweredNissan Bluebird piloted byGeorge Fury also threatened the V8 'Big Bangers' and signalled a sign of things to come during theGroup A era. Peter Brock cemented his reputation as the driver to beat during this period, including achieving two Bathurst hat-tricks with theMarlboro-sponsored HDT. In 1978 and 1979 he and Jim Richards drove an A9X Torana to victory, while in1980 the pair won in aVC Commodore. His second hat trick consisted of victories in1982,1983 and1984, this time partnering withLarry Perkins in aVH Commodore for the first two years and in aVK Commodore in the third. In 1983,John Harvey also shared the win with Brock and Perkins.Dick Johnson was the only winner for Ford during the 1980s under Group C, with a victory in1981 whilst at the wheel of theXD Falcon. It was a famous win, coming twelve months after writing his car off in an incident with a rock in 1980. It also followed a large public fundraising campaign to provide him with the finances to build a new car, which eventually raisedAU$144,000, half of which came fromFord Australia itself. Group C was replaced by the International Group A Touring car rules in 1985, with selected cars preparing for this change and competing in a separate "Group A" class in 1984.
From 1985 to 1992, the Bathurst 1000 was run to internationalGroup A regulations. Imported turbocharged cars, initiallyFord Sierra RS Cosworths and thenNissan Skyline GT-Rs, achieved dominance during this period whileHolden Commodores managed to claim three hard-fought wins. TheJPS Team BMW run635 CSis andM3s were also highly competitive during this era. Group A enabled Australian teams to develop cars that could be raced overseas. Locally built cars were driven in Europe byAllan Grice, Peter Brock, John Harvey, Allan Moffat, Dick Johnson andJohn Bowe.Tom Walkinshaw also briefly campaignedVL Commodores in Europe.
Holden-based race teams continued development of the 308 cubic inch V8-powered Commodore. The HDT and the laterHolden Racing Team (HRT) were at the forefront of Commodore development. With almost no support from Ford Australia, Group A Ford Falcons never eventuated.Dick Johnson Racing switched to a 1983Zakspeed-developedFord Mustang GT formerly raced in Europe by German aceKlaus Ludwig. Johnson and co-driver Larry Perkins were very competitive in the agile Mustang but it lacked top-end power. Ford teams went on to adopt the more powerful, though less reliable, Ford Sierra Turbo Cosworth. These were available race-ready from Europe and were campaigned by many teams includingAllan Moffat Racing, Dick Johnson Racing and eventually a team run by Holden stalwart Peter Brock.
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1985 was the first year that the Bathurst 1000 was run under Group A rules. The race was dominated byTom Walkinshaw Racing's three-carJaguar XJ-S team, the bigV12-poweredJaguars having a clear power and speed advantage over the still-developing Australian Group A teams and cars. 1974 winner John Goss and West German driverArmin Hahne claimed Jaguar's only Bathurst 1000 win. The following year,1986, theHolden VK Commodore SS Group A of privateer racer Allan Grice andGraeme Bailey took the honours. Grice had honed his skills in Europe, competing alongside compatriot Commodore driver Peter Brock and his newly recruited HDT teammate, Allan Moffat.
1986 saw the race's first fatality.Sydney driverMike Burgmann died when his VK Commodore hit the concrete base of the bridge over Conrod Straight at 260 km/h (160 mph). Consequent to Burgmann's death the circuit was altered prior to the 1987 race by the incorporation of "The Chase" two-thirds of the way down Conrod Straight. This complex added 41 metres to the length of the track and was designed to reduce the approach speed to Murray's Corner by approximately 100 km/h (62 mph). As a result of "The Chase", lap times around the circuit increased by approximately 4–5 seconds (based on times in comparable cars from the 1986 and 1987 races).
In1987, the Bathurst 1000 became a round of the shortlivedWorld Touring Car Championship, resulting in European teams racing against local Australian teams in the 1000. The resulting culture clash caused considerable angst between officials and team management. Since the start of Group A in Australia,CAMS local scrutineers diligently applied the Group A regulations as written. The global organising bodyFISA, a subsidiary of theFédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA), allowed more liberal, negotiated interpretations "back home". Some European teams, most prominently theFord Europe–backedEggenberger Motorsport, ran questionable vehicles. With the race complete, it was still unclear as to who was the legitimate winner. Eggenberger's cars finished first and second on the road but were disqualified months later due to bodywork irregularities.[8] The race win was therefore awarded to third-placed Peter Brock, who drove two of hisHolden VL Commodore SS Group A cars during the race. Brock broke his '05' HDT Commodore early in the event so he and co-driverDavid Parsons took over the team's second car, the #10 Commodore ofPeter McLeod, to cross the line third behind the two Sierras. It was to be Brock's ninth and final Bathurst 1000 win.
Local Sierra teams dominated and won the next two Bathurst 1000s.1988 sawTony Longhurst andTomas Mezera win in theirFrank Gardner–prepared RS500. In the1989 race, Peter Brock claimed his record-setting 6th pole at Bathurst, his first in anything but a Holden. Dick Johnson and John Bowe won a hard-fought race ahead ofAllan Moffat Racing's all-German combination ofKlaus Niedzwiedz andFrank Biela.
In1990 the Sierras again proved strong, but the HRT Commodore of Allan Grice andWin Percy prevailed. TheirHolden VL Commodore SS Group A SV was able to set a fast pace early in the race which the Sierras could match but not sustain due to reliability issues, mostly with tyre wear. The HRT claimed a popular Bathurst victory for Holden after three seasons of Sierra domination.
A fierce new opponent was waiting in the wings.Nissan and team manager Fred Gibson had campaigned Skylines in Australian competition for a few years. For the 1990 race, they debuted the R32 four-wheel drive, four wheel steer, twin turboNissan Skyline GT-R. Though initially suffering from problems related to complexity and reliability, the GT-R went on to dominate Group A racing worldwide. Gibson's lead drivers, Jim Richards andMark Skaife, easily won the 1991 Bathurst 1000; Skaife had set a sensational time of 2:12.63 in the Top 10 Runoff for pole, 2/10th faster than George Fury's Group C 1984 pole time on the shorter pre-Chase circuit. Richards and Skaife repeated the win in controversial circumstances in1992. The car gained the nickname 'Godzilla'. With four-wheel drive, four-wheel steer, and a powerful turbo 2.6-litre six-cylinder engine producing around 640 bhp (477 kW; 649 PS), the Skyline's superior handling and power output was unmatched by the rear-wheel-drive Sierras and Commodores. In an attempt to achieve parity between the makes, weight penalties (140 kg) and turbo-restricting pop-off valves were applied to the Nissan. With the pop-off valves in place, the Nissans were reported to now be only producing around 450 bhp (336 kW; 456 PS), though team boss Fred Gibson would (in later years) confess that theWinfield-sponsored cars were actually producing around 600 bhp (447 kW; 608 PS) after his team had managed to fool CAMS officials during the year.
The Skyline's 1992 victory was particularly controversial. The parochial Bathurst crowd, and touring-car fans in general, had been conditioned to view the Bathurst 1000 as a perpetual struggle between Holden and Ford. Although the Group A racing Commodores and Sierras were far removed from road-going examples, the Nissans were seen as being unfairly advantaged and received considerable negative comment in the build-up to the race. Late in the 1992 race, severe rainstorms swept the track, causing several accidents as dry-weather tyres caused extremeaquaplaning. During the ensuing mayhem the leading Skyline of Jim Richards and Mark Skaife slid into two wrecked cars. Simultaneously officials red-flagged the race due to the perilous condition of the wet track. The surviving cars were marshalled in single file on Pit Straight. Regulations decreed that, as the leaders had completed more than 75% of race distance, the race was not to be restarted.
Under these regulations, red-flag race results were based on positions held at the end of the last completed lap as there was no official record of the lap not completed. As Richards had been leading the race on that lap, his team was declared the winner. This was an unpopular decision with some race fans, many of whom could not understand how a wrecked Nissan could beat a perfectly healthy Sierra that had passed it on the track. As the rain clouds dissipated many unhappy campers loudly voiced their opinions. Race winners Mark Skaife and Jim Richards were challenged by a rowdy, confused and alcohol-fuelled crowd. On the winners' podium the normally affable Richards responded to the boos of the crowd with, "this is bloody disgraceful" and "you're a pack of arseholes" during the nationally televised trophy presentation.
Group A as an international formula faded away in the late 1980s. TheConfederation of Australian Motor Sport (CAMS) had planned to replace Group A at the end of 1991. This was postponed to the end of 1992 owing to the inability of FISA to specify a new International formula. As any new regulations were unlikely to suit large-engined cars, CAMS created a uniquely Australian touring car formula for 1993, Group 3A. This iteration evolved into the Supercars category. Entry became limited to V8-powered Ford Falcons and Holden Commodores (with, in 1993 only, the exception of weight-limited normally aspirated Group A cars like the BMW M3s ofLoGaMo Racing).
The new regulations created a separate class for 2-litre cars, based on theBritish Touring Car Championship's (BTCC) regulations of the time. This class excluded turbochargers and four wheel drive, effectively ending the Nissan's GT-R's eligibility. In response Nissan withdrew from Australian motorsport. The two classes of touring cars competed in the same races for two championships in1993. The1993 Tooheys 1000 was won by Larry Perkins andGregg Hansford after a race-long duel with the Mark Skaife/Jim RichardsCommodore VP. The winner of the 2-litre class was the John Cotter/Peter Doulman BMW M3 which had reverted to 2 litres capacity.
In the1994 season, the 2-litreSuper Touring championship was run separately from the ATCC, though both categories ran as two classes at Bathurst. The1994 Tooheys 1000 was won by theEB Falcon of Dick Johnson and John Bowe. The top-placed 2-litre car was the works BMW ofPaul Morris andAltfrid Heger which finished 10th outright, six laps behind Johnson and Bowe. In1995, owing to fears about the growing speed difference between the V8s and the 2-litre cars, the Bathurst 1000 became a one-class race for the first time.[8] Just 32 Ford and Holden V8s faced the starter in what was, at the time, the smallest grid in the history of the race. The 1995 champions were Larry Perkins andRussell Ingall in aHolden VR Commodore, followed byAlan Jones and Allan Grice in anEF Falcon.1996 sawCraig Lowndes andGreg Murphy, in a VR Commodore, cross the finish line ahead of the EF Falcon of Dick Johnson and John Bowe. Tony Longhurst andSteven Ellery were third in another EF Falcon.
In 1996, the Touring Car Entrants Group of Australia (TEGA) (who had held the rights to market the ATCC since 1994) signed a deal with US sports agentMark McCormack'sInternational Management Group (IMG) to market the ATCC, which they renamed to V8 Supercars. The new joint venture company (AVESCO) signed a TV deal for 1997 withNetwork Ten, which included expanded coverage of the championship. This was not an issue for the ATCC races, but for the Bathurst 1000, which was organized and promoted by a consortium that included Channel 7, it was a major issue. Channel 7 had televised the race since 1963 and had a contract that was binding into the 21st century. Seven was not prepared to drop the race, while AVESCO required a Bathurst race for Ten to broadcast. A similar dispute affected theV8 Supercars Challenge support races at theAustralian Grand Prix; at various times different networks held the V8 Supercars andFormula One broadcast rights.
There was no resolution to the dispute, and AVESCO announced that V8 Supercars would not compete in the traditional Bathurst 1000 held on the October long weekend in 1997. TOCA Australia was invited to fill the void with a 2-litreSuper Touring field, featuring a number ofBritish Touring Car Championship drivers and teams, includingAlain Menu,John Cleland andRickard Rydell, joiningAustralian Super Touring Championship regulars. This1997 race was won by Paul Morris andCraig Baird in aBMW 320i, but they were later disqualified as Baird had exceeded the mandated time limit for a continuous solo driving period. The race was awarded to theirBMW Motorsport Australia teammatesDavid andGeoff Brabham. This event format continued for1998 with the addition of a field of cars from theNew Zealand Touring Car Championship, which ran toSchedule S regulations with a 2.5-litre engine limit, as well asGroup E production cars. Alongside Rickard Rydell, Jim Richards won his sixth Bathurst 1000 in aVolvo S40 run byTom Walkinshaw Racing, with his sonSteven second in aNissan Primera run by British teamTeam Dynamics.
As well as these races for two-litre cars, separate five-litre (V8 Supercars) races were held in 1997 and 1998, known as the "Australian 1000 Classic". Having received backlash after announcing they would not race at Bathurst, AVESCO hastily made a deal with the Bathurst Regional Council for the use of the circuit. The1997 Primus 1000 Classic, as it was known, was held two weeks after the traditional race, while the1998 FAI 1000 was held in mid-November. The 1997 race saw Larry Perkins and Russell Ingall repeat their 1995 triumph, ahead of the father and son combination of Jim and Steven Richards. In 1998, Steven Richards did one better, winning the race withJason Bright forStone Brothers Racing. TheirFord EL Falcon was badly damaged in a practice crash and required lengthy repairs before the race.
Both the Super Touring and V8 Supercar races claimed to be the legitimate Bathurst 1000. The V8 Supercars' case was that they were the truly Australian class of racing and, through contractual binding, had the "star" Australian drivers. The Super Touring claim to legitimacy was based on it being held on the traditional date by the ARDC who had run the event every year since 1963. Each of the four races in 1997 and 1998 are considered as legitimate Bathurst 1000s in the record books.[8]
For 1999, the Super Touring event devolved into a 300-kilometre race for mixed V8s, which was won by Peter Brock'sstep-son James Brock, and a500-kilometre race for Super Touring won by Paul Morris. This would be the last major Super Touring race at Bathurst, the last organised by the ARDC and the last held on the traditional Labour Day holiday weekend. The demise of Super Touring and the ARDC event allowed V8 Supercars and IMG to take over the promotion and organisation of the Bathurst 1000 brand from that year onwards. From 1999 onwards, the race also counted for championship points for the first time, taking a position as the final round on the calendar.
In 2000, the 1000-kilometre race remained in November because theSydney Olympics blocked out sport in October. When the long weekend again became available in 2001, theNational Rugby League shifted itsGrand Final to that Sunday, denying the Bathurst 1000 a return to its traditional weekend. The race moved to the weekend following the long weekend from 2001 onwards, and to an earlier spot in the championship calendar. The start of this new era was dominated by Holden, which won every Bathurst 1000 from 1999 to 2005. In1999, Steven Richards repeated his 1998 triumph, winning with Greg Murphy in theirGibson MotorsportHolden VT Commodore. Richards became the first driver to win consecutively in a Ford and a Holden. This was also the first win for Gibson Motorsport since their wins with Nissan in 1991 and 1992.Garth Tander andJason Bargwanna became Bathurst champions in2000 withGarry Rogers Motorsport.[8]
In2001, Mark Skaife, driving for the Holden Racing Team, teamed with 1988 winner Tony Longhurst to win the Bathurst 1000 in aHolden VX Commodore. Despite late cooling problems from plastic bags in the air intake, Skaife and HRT again won the Bathurst 1000 in 2002, this time teamed with Jim Richards. Ten years after being heckled off the podium after winning in 1992, this time Richards jokingly said that the crowd was "a lovely bunch of people". Greg Murphy received the biggest time penalty (five minutes) in Bathurst history because of a pit-lane infringement; his car was released prematurely, rupturing a refuelling hose and spilling fuel in the pit box.[8]
In the Top 10 Shootout in2003, Greg Murphy drove what became known as the "Lap of the Gods" for a record-setting Mount Panorama Circuit time of 2:06.8594. Murphy went on to win the Bathurst 1000 withRick Kelly in 2003 and 2004 forK-Mart Racing. Rick Kelly became the race's youngest winner in 2003 at the age of 20.[8] Rick's brotherTodd Kelly won the2005 race on his birthday with Mark Skaife for HRT.
In2006, Craig Lowndes andJamie Whincup won the first race for Ford in eight years, driving forTriple Eight Race Engineering. They were also the first winners of thePeter Brock Trophy (following the passing of Peter Brock the previous month). Lowndes and Whincup then won the next two races to achieve the first three-peat since Brock and Larry Perkins won the Bathurst 1000 from 1982 to 1984 (the 1983 win was also shared with John Harvey). Holden achieved four straight wins from 2009 to 2012. The2009 race was won by the HRT'sGarth Tander andWill Davison. 2009 was the first Bathurst 1000 using theE85 fuel blend; increased fuel consumption resulted in more pit stops. 2010 saw another win for Lowndes and Triple Eight, this time with Mark Skaife, their fifth and sixth wins respectively. In2011,Nick Percat partnered with Garth Tander to become the first rookie to win the Bathurst 1000 sinceJacky Ickx in 1977, with Tander barely holding off Lowndes in a close finish.[8]
Ahead of new regulations for 2013, the Triple EightHolden VE Commodore of Jamie Whincup and Paul Dumbrell won in 2012 just 0.31 seconds ahead ofDavid Reynolds andDean Canto. The closest non-formation finish was set just the year before when Tander and Percat lifted the trophy 0.29 seconds ahead of Lowndes and Skaife.
The2013 season saw manufacturers other than Ford and Holden enter the Bathurst 1000 for the first time since 1998, under the New Generation V8 Supercar (originally known as Car of the Future) regulations that were introduced that year. Nissan returned with fourNissan Altimas run byKelly Racing.Mercedes-Benz returned throughAustralian GT Championship teamErebus Motorsport with its threeMercedes-Benz E63 AMGs. From 2013, the event became part of the newly formedPirtek Enduro Cup within the Supercars season, along with the series' other two-driver races, theSandown 500 andGold Coast 600.[13] The2013 race itself was a close finish between Ford's factory team drivers fromFord Performance Racing,Mark Winterbottom and Steven Richards, and Triple Eight Race Engineering's Jamie Whincup and Paul Dumbrell. In 2013 the 1000 km was completed in the record time of six hours, eleven minutes and twenty-seven seconds. This was Ford's first victory since 2008. It was also the first time since 1977 that an overtly Ford factory backed car triumphed.
The2014 Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000 saw Volvo return for the first time since 1998, with Garry Rogers Motorsport entering twoVolvo S60s. Between the 2013 and 2014 races, the track was resurfaced. This new track surface resulted in a marked reduction of lap times, and during free practice many of the drivers recorded times that were under the existing practice lap record. As with the early Phillip Island races, some of this new surface started to break up early in the race, particularly at Griffin's Bend. Many drivers were caught off guard and ran into the tyre wall due to the debris on the track.
With 100 laps remaining, the officials suspended the race with ared flag, only the third red flag at the race after 1981 and 1992. The cars were then lined up on pit straight, and controversy ensued as teams exploited the regulations and performed repairs on the cars. Once the track repairs were finished the race resumed in single file under the safety car. Racing soon recommenced, but competition was further interrupted by a number of safety-car periods. The race was run to its full distance and finished in the early evening, with Ford Performance Racing driversChaz Mostert and Paul Morris taking victory on the final lap, after the lead car of Jamie Whincup and Paul Dumbrell ran low on fuel. Morris and Mostert had started the race from last position after being excluded from qualifying.[14]
In2015, Chaz Mostert experienced a major reversal of fortunes, with a heavy qualifying crash leaving him with a fractured femur and wrist, and ruling his car out for the weekend. The incident also injured several marshals.[15] On Sunday, after a mid-race rain shower, Craig Lowndes and Steven Richards eventually prevailed for their sixth and fourth wins of the Bathurst 1000 respectively. It was Lowndes' thirteenth podium at the event, an all-time record.[16]
The2016 race, the first under the renamed Supercars Championship banner, featured 91 green laps to start the race, followed by a dramatic and safety-car–filled conclusion to proceedings. Most notably, there was a late-race incident between Garth Tander andScott McLaughlin, retiring the former's car, which occurred as Triple Eight's Jamie Whincup attempted to redress a clash between himself and McLaughlin at the Chase. Whincup received a fifteen-second time penalty; despite taking the chequered flag first, he was classified 11th.[17] This allowed theTekno Autosports entry ofWill Davison andJonathon Webb to take victory, just over one tenth of a second ahead of the Triple Eight entry ofShane van Gisbergen andAlexandre Prémat.[17] Following the finish, Triple Eight announced they were appealing the penalty, regarding the appropriateness of a time penalty for such an offence.[18][19] The appeal, held by the Supercars National Court of Appeal in theCounty Court of Victoria, was dismissed in a hearing nine days after the race.[20]
The2017 Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000 saw another victory for an independent team withErebus Motorsport prevailing in mostly wet conditions withDavid Reynolds andLuke Youlden behind the wheel.[21] Erebus also joined Tekno as the only teams to win both theBathurst 12 Hour and the Bathurst 1000.[22] David Reynolds and Luke Youlden continued their form into the2018 edition, taking pole and leading the majority of the race until Reynolds suffered from leg cramps late in the race, allowing the 2015-winning combination of Craig Lowndes and Steven Richards to take the lead and the eventual victory,[23] Lowndes' seventh event win and Richards' fifth.
The2019 race only featured one safety car in the first 101 laps, but the final 60 laps featured seven, eventually resulting in a one-lap sprint to the chequered flag. Scott McLaughlin, driving with Alexandre Prémat, held on to win from the Triple Eight entry of Shane van Gisbergen and Garth Tander; this was the first Bathurst 1000 win for theFord Mustang nameplate, the first for Dick Johnson Racing sinceTeam Penske took a stake in the team in 2014, and the first for DJR since 1994.[24] However, the race results remained provisional for a week until a hearing was held into DJR Team Penske's instructions to team-mateFabian Coulthard during an earlier safety car. The instructions over team radio resulted in Coulthard slowing the field after a safety car was called, which allowed McLaughlin and Jamie Whincup to pit without losing any positions. Despite already being given a drive-through penalty during the race, after the hearing Coulthard was further relegated to the last finisher and the team was docked 300 Teams' Championship points and finedAU$250,000 with $100,000 of the fine suspended. As it could not be proven that the instructions were intended to advantage McLaughlin and Prémat, their race win remained.[25][26] One month after the race, an investigation into McLaughlin's qualifying engine found a breach, resulting in a further fine, loss of his pole position and qualifying lap record and demotion to last place on the grid for the2019 Sandown 500.[27]
Because of theCOVID-19 pandemic, the2020 race was held a week later than usual and with a limited number of fans, capped at 4,000 daily.[28] In what was the final event for a factory-backed Holden team before the brand's retirement, the race was won byShane van Gisbergen and Garth Tander, the latter's fourth Bathurst 1000 win.[29] For the first time since 2000, the event was the final round of the championship, but Scott McLaughlin had already secured an unassailable lead at the penultimate event.[30]
The most successful driver at Bathurst isPeter Brock, whose nine victories (1972, 1975, 1978–80, 1982–84 and 1987) earned him the nicknameKing of the Mountain.For this reason, rock bandMidnight Oil would also play their song, "King of the Mountain" or the TV station broadcasting the race would play the song.
Bob Jane won the race four times in succession from 1961 to 1964. Jane's racing exploits assisted in the creation of his automotive businesses, originally with automotive vehicle dealerships, then later more prominently with a national chain of tyre retailers,Bob Jane T-Marts. The company became a title sponsor of the race between 2002 and 2004. Three of Jane's wins were withHarry Firth, who went on to win a fourth race in 1967 and also was a team manager for the 1969 and 1972Holden Dealer Team victories.
New Zealand'sJim Richards won the race seven times (1978–80, 1991–92, 1998 and 2002) and also holds the record for the most starts (35) at this event. Richards' sonSteven is also a five-time winner (1998, 1999, 2013, 2015 and 2018). The two other multiple winners from New Zealand areGreg Murphy, who has won the race four times (1996, 1999, 2003 and 2004), andShane van Gisbergen three time winner in 2020, 2022 and 2023.
Craig Lowndes, who was a protégé of Brock, and has followed his path in terms of success and popularity, has won the race seven times. He has won three Bathurst races in a Falcon (2006–08) and four in a Commodore (1996, 2010, 2015 and 2018), and also holds the record for most Bathurst podiums, with fourteen.
Larry Perkins is the equal fourth most successful driver at Bathurst, with six victories (1982–84, 1993, 1995 and 1997). Like Jim Richards, Perkins achieved three of his victories as co-drivers with Brock in consecutive years in the Holden Dealer Team era.
Mark Skaife has also won six times. His first won in 1991 with aNissan Skyline GT-R, then again in 1992 with the same car, and in 2001, 2002, 2005 and 2010 in aHolden Commodore.
Garth Tander is also a six-time winner at Bathurst, five of which came inHolden Commodores. His sixth and most recent win came in 2025, his first in a Ford.
Jamie Whincup, the driver with the most championship titles in ATCC/Supercars history, is a four-time winner of the race. His first three wins were with Craig Lowndes, with his fourth coming in 2012 with Paul Dumbrell.
Canadian-bornAllan Moffat is Ford's most successful Bathurst driver, winning the race four times (1970, 1971, 1973 and 1977). The 1977 race saw Moffat and teammateColin Bond cross the finish line side by side after opening up an indomitable lead in the early laps.
Dick Johnson first rose to fame during the 1980 race when his privately entered Ford Falcon hit a rock that had fallen (or been pushed; the topic is still debated) onto the track. Thanks to public donations of overA$70,000 – and a matching donation fromFord – Johnson was able to rebuild his car and win the Bathurst race the following year. He went on to win twice more, in 1989 and 1994.
Notes:
^1 – Outright race winner was not officially recognised until 1965. Prior to that official results reflected four or five class races occurring simultaneously rather than a single race. The first car across the finish line has been retrospectively referred to as outright race winner since then.
^2 – Race was stopped before full race distance.
^3 – The first and second position finishers were disqualified post race.
^4 – The first position finisher was disqualified post race.
^5 – Denotes Australia 1000 races for V8 Supercars category.
^6 – Race was stopped for over an hour due to the track surface breaking up and requiring repair. Stoppage time is included in final race time.
^7 – The first position finisher was assessed a post-race time penalty for violating driving standards.
^8 – This is the first year with the newly added Chase in Conrod Straight.
^9 – Race record for time elapsed & average speed.
| Wins | Driver | Years |
|---|---|---|
| 9 | Peter Brock | 1972, 1975, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1987 |
| 7 | Jim Richards | 1978, 1979, 1980, 1991, 1992, 1998, 2002 |
| Craig Lowndes | 1996, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2015, 2018 | |
| 6 | Larry Perkins | 1982, 1983, 1984, 1993, 1995, 1997 |
| Mark Skaife | 1991, 1992, 2001, 2002, 2005, 2010 | |
| Garth Tander | 2000, 2009, 2011, 2020, 2022, 2025 | |
| 5 | Steven Richards | 1998, 1999, 2013, 2015, 2018 |
| 4 | Bob Jane | 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964 |
| Harry Firth | 1961, 1962, 1963, 1967 | |
 Allan Moffat | 1970, 1971, 1973, 1977 | |
| Greg Murphy | 1996, 1999, 2003, 2004 | |
| Jamie Whincup | 2006, 2007, 2008, 2012 | |
| 3 | Dick Johnson | 1981, 1989, 1994 |
| Shane van Gisbergen | 2020, 2022, 2023 | |
| 2 | John Goss | 1974, 1985 |
| Allan Grice | 1986, 1990 | |
| John Bowe | 1989, 1994 | |
| Russell Ingall | 1995, 1997 | |
| Tony Longhurst | 1988, 2001 | |
| Rick Kelly | 2003, 2004 | |
| Will Davison | 2009, 2016 | |
| Chaz Mostert | 2014, 2021 |
| Wins | Manufacturer |
|---|---|
| 36 | Holden |
| 21 | Ford |
| 2 | Chevrolet |
| Nissan |
| Rank | Driver | Poles | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Peter Brock | 6 | 1974–1989 |
| 2 | Mark Skaife | 5 | 1991–2006 |
| 3 | Allan Moffat | 4 | 1970–1976 |
| Rank | Manufacturer | Poles | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ford | 26 | 1967–2025 |
| 2 | Holden | 24 | 1968–2021 |
| 3 | Chevrolet | 4 | 1980–2024 |
| Rank | Driver | Starts | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jim Richards | 35 | 1974–2006 |
| 2 | Peter Brock | 32 | 1969–2004 |
| Craig Lowndes | 1994–2025 |
| Rank | Driver | Podiums | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Craig Lowndes | 14 | 1994–2018 |
| 2 | Peter Brock | 12 | 1969–1987 |
| Larry Perkins | 1977–1998 | ||
| Jim Richards | 1974–2002 |
| Description | Record | Driver/s | Car | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Race record | 5:58:03 (161 laps) | Brodie KosteckiTodd Hazelwood | Chevrolet Camaro | 2024 |
| Lap record | 2:04.7602 | Chaz Mostert | Ford Mustang GT | 2019 |
| Largest winning margin | 6 laps | Peter BrockJim Richards | Holden LX Torana SS A9X Hatchback | 1979 |
| Smallest winning margin | 0.1434s | Will DavisonJonathon Webb | Holden VF Commodore | 2016 |
| Description | Record | Driver | Car | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Qualifying record | 2:03.3736 | Chaz Mostert | Holden ZB Commodore | 2021 |
| Description | Record | Driver | Car | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Youngest race winner | 20y 268d | Rick Kelly | Holden VY Commodore | 2003 |
| Oldest race winner | 55y 41d | Jim Richards | Holden VX Commodore | 2002 |
| Youngest race starter | 17y 67d | Cam Waters | Holden VE Commodore | 2011 |
In the over fifty-year history of the event, three drivers have died whilst competing in the Bathurst 1000.
In1986,Sydney accountant and privateer entrantMike Burgmann became the first fatality in the race's history when his car, aHolden VK Commodore SS Group A, travelling at 260 km/h (160 mph), struck the tyre barrier at the base of the Armor All Bridge (then sponsored byJohn Player Special) on the high-speed straight known as Conrod Straight. "The Chase", a large three-cornerchicane added in 1987 to the straight, was dedicated to Burgmann with a plaque embedded in the concrete barriers.
In1992,1967Formula One World ChampionDenny Hulme, after complaining of blurred vision, suffered aheart attack at the wheel of hisBMW M3 Evolution whilst travelling along Conrod Straight. After veering into the wall on the left side of the track, his car came to a relatively controlled stop on the opposite side of the course. When marshals reached the scene, Hulme was unconscious and he was pronounced dead at Bathurst Hospital after suffering a second heart attack.
In1994,Melbourne privateer entrant Don Watson died during practice. His car, aHolden VP Commodore, had a mechanical failure and went straight ahead at the entry to The Chase, hitting a barrier at almost 250 km/h (160 mph).
Additionally, the2006 event was marred by the death ofNew Zealand driverMark Porter in aDevelopment V8 Supercar Series support race on the Friday of the meeting. Porter had been scheduled to compete in the 1000 as a driver for theBrad Jones Racing team.
Peter Brock died weeks before the2006 race in an accident during theTarga West rally inWestern Australia. Following this, Supercars announced that from 2006 onwards, the drivers in the Bathurst 1000 would be racing to win thePeter Brock Trophy.[32][33] The 2006 event also honoured Brock with special tributes; including the front row of the starting grid being left vacant, all cars bearing an '05' number sticker made famous by Brock, and a champions' lap of honour featuring Brock's past co-drivers parading in cars that Brock won Bathurst with.
The trophy, manufactured byHardy Brothers, is inscribed with the words "King of the Mountain", a long-time nickname of Brock's. It weighs 2.5 kg (6 lb) and stands 50 cm (20 in) tall.[34] Craig Lowndes, a long time mentee of Brock, has won the trophy a record six times since its inception.
The event has had severalnaming rights sponsors:[35]
