SPORT sundayterritorian.com.au Last hurrah for Ford and Holden as invaders arrive THE CONTENDERS FORD legend Dick Johnson has backed Craig Lowndes THE Bathurst 1000 has been meaning today’s 1000km race aware of how much the rival- or Ford blue,’’ Tander said. ‘‘I Ford battle between Team- to outgun his teammate the sole domain of Holden is one last chance to claim ry means to the fans. think it’s exciting. It’s a new Vodafone and Ford Perform- Jamie Whincup and Ford and Ford for more than a dec- bragging rights in the The Holden Racing Team era and there’ll be a lot of ance Racing. The teams’ four Performance Racing (FPR) ade – but 2012 is the last year Holden-Ford rivalry. driver said the addition of competition amongst the drivers – Jamie Whincup, and continue his assault on Bathurst by claiming his the two manufacturers will In 51 races, Holden has new manufacturers to the brands. Come Bathurst, if we Craig Lowndes, Mark sixth 1000km Mount have the Mount Panorama notched 28 wins, with Ford championship would not win, there will still be a sea of Winterbottom and Will Dav- Panorama title today. circuit all to themselves. claiming 17 race victories diminish that rivalry. Holden flags and the Red ison – are the only ones to Three time Bathurst winner Next year’s V8 Supercars while only six races have ‘‘It’s 50 years of Australia’s Army will be just as loud and have won a race this year in and V8 hall of famer Johnson classic will feature Nissans been won by another brand. great race and it’s always proud as always.’’ what has been one of the tigh- rated the Supercars’ field and Mercedes – as well as Triple Bathurst champion been an event with tribal fol- This year’s championship test championship battles in during the week and Commodores and Falcons – Garth Tander is intimately lowing of either Holden red has been a classic Holden- V8 Supercars history. declared reigning champion Whincup would be beaten by Lowndes in the great race today.

THE WINNER Craig Lowndes (Team Vodafone): ‘‘I just can’t go past Craig Lowndes,’’ Johnson said. ‘‘He is in a well funded team that along with FPR has been Mount of memories the benchmark all year. ‘‘Lowndes always goes well at Bathurst and his partner Warren Luff is a good second steerer Iconic that has been around for a long time and knows the cars and the track. ‘‘Lowndes is one of these blokes car race that has really connected with Bathurst. He connects with the

PUB: place and the environment that celebrates it is. Lowndes and the mountain gel in a special way and he handles the week and the race TNEWS NT 50 years like no other.’’ THE CHALLENGER BATHURST 1000 Mark Winterbottom (FPR): ‘‘Mark Winterbottom is a top- IN 50 years, Australia’s shelf driver,’’ Johnson said. ‘‘And he has really shown that greatest touring car race has with some of his performances DATE: seen death, destruction this year. He has always had the and despair. skill but is now also fighting But Mount Panorama, with aggression. That’s what which hosts half a century of we want to see. Winterbottom has gone well there in the past, 7-OCT-2012 Bathurst enduros today, has also showcased a kaleido- but also had bad luck. scope of courage, tactical ‘‘The thing is horse power is genius and breathless drama. very important at Bathurst and they have good engines. We are Beginning as a 500-mile not talking mega differences race around a poorly-paved, between any of them, but FPR weed-strewn Phillip Island have a strong package and they circuit in Victoria featuring are a little bit better at Bathurst. That will be an PAGE: such wheezing crates as an unmodified Vauxhall Cresta advantage.’’ — the first winner in 1960 — the Bathurst 1000 has become THE CONTENDER Will Davison (FPR): ‘‘Will a shrine to the sport. 60 Davison is just about on equal In 1963, organisers moved terms with Winterbottom,’’ the endurance event to Johnson said. COLOR: Mount Panorama and 2012 ‘‘He is fighting with an equal car marks the 50th year that and has a good team around teams and fans have gathered him. He is a past Bathurst there to celebrate Australia’s winner and knows the place great race. well. He is a talent and can Along the journey, which match it with anyone on his day.

C ‘‘Like all Bathurst it is going to has culminated in a door- come down to the last 20 laps.

M banging rumble on the moun- ‘‘It will be who is still there to tain between fire-breathing, Craig Lowndes No. 888 Commodore is this year decked out in livery to honour Peter Brock Picture: GREGG PORTEOUS fight for it in those closing

Y 300km/h V8 Supercars, stages. Bathurst has developed into a time a hotbed of controversy, ‘‘You need to be in the lead K global phenomenon. notably when the four-wheel group and I think Davo will Makes as diverse as drive Nissan GTR won from be there.’’ Mercedes Benz, Mini Cooper, the popular Fords and THE ODD MAN OUT Jaguar, Nissan, BMW, Volvo Holdens. Jamie Whincup ( Team and of course Holden and The V8s took a back seat Vodafone): ‘‘Jamie will be in Ford, have won, often against from 1985 to 1992 when Group the mix,’’ Johnson said. prohibitive odds. A touring car rules came into ‘‘But I think mentally he is Drivers such as Formula force, allowing world-beaters weaker than Lowndes. There is One ace Jacky Ickx and world like the Ford Sierra RS Cos- no doubting Jamie’s ability or rally champion Rauno worth and even a Jaguar XJ-S pace. But I think quite simply Aaltonen have taken the title. sports car to run and win. Lowndes is mentally stronger But, for a decade and more, Eventually the race re- then Jamie and over a long race like Bathurst that becomes a the Bathurst 1000 belonged to turned to an annual shootout weakness. He will be right up home-grown hero Peter between Holden and Falcon. there but I don’t think he can Brock, He won nine times — Holden leads with 25 wins match it with Lowndes.’’ twice more than the with 15 for Ford. second most prolific victor, Death first came to THE DARK HORSE Jim Richards. Bathurst in 1986 when Greg Murphy (Kelly Racing): Brock, more than anyone Sydney accountant and ‘‘There are plenty of blokes that helped to give Bathurst its privateer entrant Mike could jump out of the box,’’ Johnson said. iconic status. Burgmann’s Holden Commo- ‘‘A bunch of them. Even our A motor racing rock star, Peter Brock on his way to winning Bathurst in 1973 in a Holden Torana XU1 dore struck a tyre barrier team has a couple of good dark and handsome, and along Conrod Straight blokes. James Moffat and Alex possessed with silky skills, Sadly, he died competing in — as the fuel-efficient and — such as the Ford Cortina at 268km/h. Davison will be strong, Stephen Brock — dubbed ‘‘Peter Per- a low-key tarmac rally in 2006 hard-cornering Minis and 500 and the Ford Falcon Former Formula One (Johnson) and Allan Simonsen fect’’ or ‘‘The King of the at the age of 61. Alfa Romeos were squeezed GTHO Phase III — although world champion Denny will be there. Mountain’’ — collected an Bathurst grew rapidly from out by the introduction of a they all had to sell a in show- Hulme died at the wheel of a ‘‘But I guess the one to really armful of trophies from 1972 the mid 1960s on, as car compulsory number of pit- rooms to qualify. BMW M3 on the same strip of watch is Greg Murphy. That to 1987. manufacturers quickly re- stops. While the thirsty big The GTHO caused a furore track when he suffered a bloke is always strong at Bathurst. He can go like a In 1979, Brock achieved alised the credibility a win sedans had to pit more often when it became the world’s heart attack and in 2006 busted arse all year and then perhaps one of the most re- gave their brand. as their smaller rivals kept fastest four-door production fellow New Zealander Mark drive like a world beater when markable victories in any Thus was born the slogan: circulating, the low capacity car and prompted media Porter was killed in a V8 sup- he gets to the mountain. form of motorsport, winning ‘‘Win on Sunday, sell competitors were then forced scare headlines about such a port race. ‘‘That is because he also the race by an astonishing six on Monday.’’ to pit unnecessarily, losing machine prowling public Don Watson became an- connects with the place. Like laps and breaking the track The race grew slowly into a their advantage. roads — which eventually led other Conrod Straight victim Lowndes he just gets on with record on the 163rd and final battle of the big guns — the Cars were built especially to its demise. when he died during practice the place.’’ lap of the race. V8 Falcons and Commodores for victory on the mountain Bathurst was from time to for the race in 1994.

60 Sunday Territorian. Sunday, October 7, 2012. www.sundayterritorian.com.au