The Great Race

History is made as Australia's "Great Race" expands from 500 miles to the grueling 1000-kilometre format at Mount Panorama. Adding to the tension, a new rule change permits co-drivers for the first time. Fans witness an epic, final factory-backed showdown between the legendary Ford XA Falcon GT Hardtops and Holden’s formidable Torana GTR XU-1s. Pit-lane drama, a controversial refueling fire, and a brutal battle of mechanical endurance culminate in a historic victory that marks the official end of an era for factory-funded Ford Australia racing teams.

Nature unleashes absolute chaos on the mountain as a relentless, monumental downpour turns sections of the track into a literal swamp. The treacherous, water-logged conditions force a historic, nearly hour-long race stoppage on the pit straight. Decimating the heavily favored factory teams, the brutal war of attrition leaves privateers to fight for survival. This leads to an iconic, underdog triumph in a blue-and-white Ford XB Falcon that remains one of the most rugged, unexpected victories in Australian motorsport history.

The powerful Holden Dealer Team looks unstoppable on paper, but Mount Panorama has other plans. A record-breaking field of starters takes the green flag, showcasing a massive variety of classic Australian touring cars. When early engine failures shock the defending champions just 10 laps in, the race breaks wide open. Defying all odds, a brilliantly prepared privateer Holden Torana SL/R 5000 goes toe-to-toe with the heavily funded factory operations to execute a flawless endurance strategy and stage a stunning upset.

Pure controversy takes over the mountain in a race that people still argue about decades later. Global racing royalty arrives as F1 legends Sir Jack Brabham and Sir Stirling Moss team up to tackle the mountain. On the track, the mighty Holden Torana L34s utterly dominate the tarmac. However, the real drama unfolds at the checkered flag where a critical, agonizing scoring dispute and a legendary lap-counting error throw the official podium results into complete disarray, cementing this race as Bathurst’s ultimate mathematical thriller.

The mountain plays host to one of the most famous, devastatingly dominant displays in global touring car history. Allan Moffat and formula-one icon Jacky Ickx control the grueling enduro from the front row. As mechanical failures decimate the rival Holden Torana fleet, Moffat overcomes late-race brake failures to stage an iconic, side-by-side formation finish with teammate Colin Bond. Crossing the line completely ahead of the field, the crushing Ford Dealer Team 1-2 sweep etches itself forever into Australian motorsport folklore.

The modern era of Mount Panorama takes shape with the historic debut of the "Top 10 Shootout" one-by-one qualifying format. Under intense pressure, Peter Brock secures a legendary pole position in the ultimate LX Torana A9X. Alongside co-driver Jim Richards, Brock unleashes a flawless tactical performance that breaks the spirit of the Ford Falcon challenge. Overcoming unpredictable weather and a changing field, the duo claims a crushing victory that marks the beginning of an era of unprecedented mountain dominance.

Peter Brock and Jim Richards rewrite the touring car history books with an impossibly dominant, flawless performance. Driving the legendary Holden Dealer Team Torana A9X, the pairing completely breaks the field, leading from the drop of the flag until the very last corner. Refusing to slow down even with a massive lead, Brock shocks the pit lane by crushing the lap record on the 163rd and final lap of the race. They cross the line to win by an unbeaten, staggering six-lap margin.

The brand-new Holden Commodore era begins under the cloud of one of Bathurst's most heartbreaking, infamous incidents. Popular Ford privateer Dick Johnson leads early before violently striking a massive rock rolled onto the track by a spectator. The crash destroys his car and emotional dream live on national television. In a beautiful display of sportsmanship, an avalanche of public donations funds his return. Out front, Peter Brock and Jim Richards cruise through the chaos to secure their historic third consecutive mountain triumph.

Redemption arrives in explosive fashion as Dick Johnson and John French bring Ford back to the absolute peak of the mountain. Armed with a newly built Falcon funded by the Australian public, Johnson faces down a grid of powerful V8 Commodores and a menacing turbo Camaro attack. The classic endurance race is cut short by a violent, multi-car pile-up at McPhillamy Park that completely blocks the track. The red flag triggers a massive scoring countdown, crowning a fairy-tale champion amidst the wreckage.

The outright speed barrier is broken as Mount Panorama enters the high-tech era of live broadcast television. Privateer master Allan Grice stuns the mountain by recording the first-ever lap averaging over 100 mph around the circuit. However, the race belongs to Peter Brock and Larry Perkins in their revolutionary VH Commodore. Carrying a heavy, pioneering live "Racecam" inside the cockpit, they deliver viewers a historic first-person view of a masterful, flag-to-flag victory on the mountain.

Total destruction and an unprecedented loophole combine to create a deeply controversial race. Dick Johnson survives a horrific, total-write-off crash into the trees during the top ten shootout. Overnight, his crew builds a replacement car from scratch. Meanwhile, Peter Brock’s primary car suffers an early mechanical failure. Exploiting a controversial rule, Brock and Larry Perkins cross-enter into the team's second car, fighting from down the field to steal an unforgettable, heavily debated victory.

An era of raw, flame-spitting power comes to an emotional close at Mount Panorama. In the final race for the iconic, heavily modified Group C "Big Bangers", Nissan's turbo Bluebird stuns the field with a blistering pole lap. The race transforms into an absolute war of attrition. Peter Brock and Larry Perkins pilot their iconic, day-glo Mobil Holden Commodore to a dominant 1-2 team finish, claiming Brock's eighth mountain crown and closing an unforgettable chapter of local motorsport.

International regulations reshape the mountain as global Group A touring car rules take over. A highly professional European assault arrives, led by Tom Walkinshaw's menacing, thundering fleet of V12 Jaguar XJS lines. The sleek British machines dominate qualifying and break local hearts. Despite an oil line issue causing cabin smoke, privateer legend John Goss and German co-driver Armin Hahne survive the grueling pace, executing a magnificent upset to deliver Jaguar a historic victory.

Tragedy and ultimate underdog defiance clash in an emotional weekend on the mountain. The racing community is rocked by the tragic practice loss of popular driver Mike Burgmann on Conrod Straight. On race day, the heavily backed factory Volvo and Nissan turbo outfits suffer critical issues. Seizing the moment, privateer hero Allan Grice and Graeme Bailey pilot their low-budget, yellow "Chickadee" Holden Commodore flawlessly, out-pacing the global giants to take a historic victory.

The mountain integrates into the World Touring Car Championship, bringing controversial tech inspections and chaotic weather. Torrential rain storms turn the circuit into a literal river. The sleek, dominant European Texaco Ford Sierra turbos cross the finish line first, but are immediately hit with massive technical protests over illegal wheel-arch modifications. Following months of bitter international court appeals, local heroes Peter Brock, David Parsons, and Peter McLeod are officially awarded the win.

The blistering, dangerous speed of the turbo Ford Sierra RS500 takes absolute control of the mountain. Local teams finally unlock the volatile engineering secrets of the European imports. Dick Johnson captures a spectacular pole position, but the endurance race transforms into a high-stakes mechanical chess match. Evading the chronic engine and turbo failures that wipe out the front-runners, Tony Longhurst and Tomas Mezera deliver a flawless tactical run to claim a historic victory.

Dick Johnson and John Bowe stamp their absolute authority on Mount Panorama in a vintage display of turbo speed. Driving their beautifully engineered Shell Ford Sierra RS500, the pairing out-qualifies and completely out-paces a world-class field of international machinery. Surviving late-race brake scares and a changing track surface, they lead the endurance classic almost entirely from start to finish, cementing the Sierra as an iconic touring car powerhouse.

The formidable Nissan Skyline "Godzilla" arrives to threaten local supremacy, setting up a massive technical war against the aging Ford Sierras. With the turbo giants widely expected to crush the field, the newly formed Holden Racing Team executes an incredible strategy. Veteran driver Allan Grice and British touring champ Win Percy push their Group A VL Commodore to its absolute mechanical limits. They execute a stunning, tyre-saving upset to secure Holden a legendary victory.

The mountain faces a high-tech revolution as the menacing four-wheel-drive Nissan Skyline GT-R, nicknamed "Godzilla," returns to rewrite the record books. Jim Richards and Mark Skaife deliver an incredibly dominant performance, smashing the overall race time record by over seven minutes. The turbo monsters completely out-pace the local V8 Holden Commodores and Ford Sierras, signaling a massive, controversial shift in Australian motorsport history.

One of the most chaotic, controversial finishes in motorsport history unfolds under a torrential downpour. A sudden, violent storm triggers massive multi-car crashes, forcing a premature red flag. Race leader Jim Richards crashes out in the chaos, yet a technical rule book quirk awards the victory to his wrecked Nissan Skyline. Facing a hostile, booing crowd on the podium, Richards delivers an iconic, unfiltered speech that etches itself into mountain folklore.

A highly anticipated new era dawns as international turbo regulations are banished, resetting the grid into a pure, localized V8 Holden vs. Ford war. Larry Perkins stuns the field by securing pole position in his privately built Commodore. On race day, Perkins and co-driver Gregg Hansford execute a flawless, high-octane strategy, out-dueling the heavily funded factory teams to claim a historic victory for the new five-litre touring car format.

A thrilling changing of the guard takes place on the mountain during an absolute classic battle of attrition. Total chaos unfolds with a record number of safety car deployments keeping the field tightly bunched. The closing laps build into an epic, high-stakes shootout between veteran privateer Dick Johnson and a spectacular 22-year-old rookie named Craig Lowndes. Making a daring pass, Lowndes announces himself to the world before Johnson fights back to win.

Larry Perkins and Russell Ingall stage one of the most unbelievable, legendary comeback victories in endurance racing history. A chaotic first-lap tangle down at the cutting drops their Castrol Commodore to the absolute back of the field with a flat tyre. Refusing to surrender, Perkins unleashes a fierce, relentless charge through the pack, capitalizing on late-race mechanical drama to complete an impossible, fairy-tale rise to the top step.

The Holden Racing Team stamps its absolute authority on the mountain with a masterful, record-breaking performance. Young superstar Craig Lowndes and Kiwi sensation Greg Murphy form an unstoppable, youthful partnership that completely electrifies the crowd. Dominating the grueling weekend from the front row, the duo rewrites the history books as Lowndes becomes the youngest driver to capture a clean sweep of the championship, Sandown, and Bathurst.

A bitter, unprecedented political split divides Australian motorsport, resulting in two entirely separate 1000-kilometre races on the mountain. The traditional V8 Fords and Holdens field a highly dramatic event, while Peter Brock makes an emotional, temporary final start as a full-time driver. In the race, Larry Perkins and Russell Ingall survive an intense, high-speed war of attrition to masterfully out-last a collapsing field of contenders.

With the political division still lingering, the classic V8 formula delivers an absolute multi-car thriller in the November heat. A dramatic, tactical chess match unfolds as Ford squads fight fiercely to break Holden's recent stranglehold on the mountain. Seizing the opportunity, Jason Bright and Steven Richards pilot their privateer Falcon EL flawlessly, executing an aggressive pit strategy to hold off a charging field and secure a monumental victory.

Peace is fully restored as the entire Australian motorsport landscape reunites under the official V8 Supercars banner. The mountain responds with an absolute classic, featuring intense panel-rubbing drama across a brutal 161 laps. Greg Murphy and Steven Richards deliver a masterclass in defensive driving, nursing their Wynn's Commodore through late-race mechanical scares to survive a furious, closing-lap onslaught from a desperate Ford pack.

Wild, unpredictable spring weather turns the new millennium edition into a highly dramatic, water-logged survival test. Fierce rain storms and widespread track oil spark a massive wave of high-speed accidents across the mountain. Evading the carnage that swallows up the heavily favoured front-runners, Garth Tander and Jason Bargwanna deliver a remarkably poised, clean drive to capture a brilliant, breakout victory for the Garry Rogers Motorsport squad.

The race securely locks back into its traditional early October weekend, delivering a brutal, highly tactical endurance showcase. A massive field of V8 Supercars engages in a high-speed game of strategy, with fuel economy and tyre wear dictating the order. Mark Skaife and Tony Longhurst execution is flawless, piloting their Holden Racing Team Commodore through high-pressure restarts to claim a monumental, hard-fought triumph on the mountain.

Mark Skaife seals his legendary status with an incredibly dominant, high-stakes weekend alongside former rival Jim Richards. Driving the iconic red Holden Racing Team entry, Skaife faces down intense pressure from a re-emergent Ford attack. Nursing a heavily overheating engine packed with plastic track debris over the final closing laps, Skaife miraculously holds on to secure a historic, back-to-back mountain triumph and the championship title.

Greg Murphy delivers what is widely considered the most legendary, jaw-dropping single lap in Mount Panorama history during the Top 10 Shootout. Clocking an impossible 2:06.8594, Murphy shatters the existing track record to send shockwaves through the paddock. On race day, Murphy and co-driver Rick Kelly convert that blistering speed into total dominance, leading almost entirely from the front to secure a legendary, emotional victory.

K-Mart Racing pairs Greg Murphy and Rick Kelly once again to unleash an incredibly disciplined, tactical endurance performance. Despite a safety-car-heavy race that repeatedly erases their hard-earned track leads, the duo remains completely unfazed. Executing textbook pit stops and maintaining a blistering, relentless race pace, they successfully defend their crown to become back-to-back masters of the mountain.

A highly controversial, high-friction race erupts as a bitter, heated pit lane feud between dynamic drivers boils over. A shocking, high-speed collision at the cutting leads to a legendary trackside confrontation between dynamic personalities. Navigating directly through the massive fallout, Todd Kelly and Mark Skaife deliver a beautifully calculated drive, fighting off a desperate, late-race Ford onslaught to secure a thrilling victory for Holden.

An incredibly emotional weekend unfolds following the tragic, sudden passing of mountain legend Peter Brock just weeks prior. The racing community unites in profound grief as the inaugural Peter Brock Trophy is introduced. In an epic, heart-stopping finish, Craig Lowndes digs deep to fight off a ferocious, closing-lap attack from Rick Kelly, claiming a deeply tearful, poetic victory for Ford to honor his beloved mentor.

Fierce late-race rain storms completely flip the leaderboard on its head, triggering an absolute frenzy of sliding cars and broken dreams. Craig Lowndes and Jamie Whincup showcase magnificent car control on a rapidly slicking track, executing a masterful tactical run to secure consecutive mountain titles. The dynamic pairing successfully guides their Triple Eight Falcon through the absolute chaos to solidify their emerging dynasty.

Craig Lowndes and Jamie Whincup match a legendary historical feat by capturing their third consecutive Bathurst 1000 victory. The Triple Eight duo operates like absolute clockwork, weathering immense strategic pressure from a highly competitive Holden fleet. Executing flawless pit exchanges and maintaining a devastatingly consistent pace, they cross the line to cement themselves as modern-day immortals of the mountain.

The Holden Racing Team returns to the absolute pinnacle of endurance racing with a spectacular, high-tension display. Garth Tander and Will Davison lock into a fierce, multi-team tactical battle that keeps the crowd on the edge of their seats. Surviving several late safety car restarts and a rapidly intensifying track surface, Tander delivers an absolute defensive masterclass to secure a deeply celebrated victory.

An absolutely blistering, high-speed modern classic unfolds as the race is run at an unprecedented, frantic pace with zero safety car interventions for the majority of the day. Craig Lowndes and Mark Skaife join forces to deliver a flawless, historic performance for Triple Eight. Crushing the overall race time record, they lead home a spectacular, emotional team 1-2 finish to close out a legendary era.

One of the most intensely close finishes in Mount Panorama history unfolds in a breathless, final-lap thriller. Holden icons Nick Percat and Garth Tander lock into a fierce bumper-to-bumper duel against a desperate, charging Ford pack. Nursing a damaged car and rapidly fading tyres over the closing mountain miles, Tander delivers an absolute masterclass in defensive driving to secure a historic victory by a fraction of a second.

Fuel strategy and raw nerve take centre stage in a high-stakes tactical chess match on the mountain. Jamie Whincup and Paul Dumbrell pilot their Triple Eight Commodore into a commanding late-race lead, but a critically low fuel warning throws the garage into absolute panic. Ignoring frantic orders to slow down, Whincup gambles everything on a blistering, high-speed defensive run to narrowly edge out a hard-charging David Reynolds at the line.

A revolutionary technical era arrives at Mount Panorama with the high-stakes competitive debut of the brand-new "Car of the Future" regulations. The technical reset opens the door for international manufacturers Nissan and Mercedes-Benz to challenge the traditional local Holden and Ford duopoly. Amidst the unfamiliar mechanical landscape, Ford heroes Mark Winterbottom and Steven Richards execute a flawless, high-octane drive to capture an emotional breakout victory.

The longest, most unbelievably chaotic, and dramatic race in Bathurst history pushes teams to the absolute brink of sanity. A crumbling track surface forces an unprecedented, hour-long red flag stoppage for emergency tarmac repairs. The race restarts into pure madness, featuring massive pile-ups, star retirements, and a legendary final-lap twist where Chaz Mostert and Paul Morris rise from the very back of the grid to steal victory.

Unpredictable spring weather and a flurry of late-race safety cars turn the endurance classic into a high-tension sprint to the checkered flag. Modern mountain master Craig Lowndes pairs with Steven Richards to unleash a clinic in race craft and tactical patience. Capitalizing on the technical and pit-lane errors of their younger rivals, the veteran duo perfectly navigates the high-pressure closing laps to secure Lowndes his sixth iconic Peter Brock Trophy.

Pure, unbridled controversy rocks the mountain following a dramatic, late-race three-way tangle at the high-speed Chase. A heavily debated post-race time penalty strips the on-track leader of victory, throwing the live podium results into complete confusion. Navigating clean through the massive fallout, underdog privateers Will Davison and Jonathon Webb deliver a flawless survival drive to claim an unexpected, stunningly narrow triumph for Tekno Autosports.

A treacherous, water-logged track surface triggers absolute mayhem as a persistent downpour turns the mountain into an ice rink. Widespread spins, high-speed crashes, and erratic safety car interventions completely decimate the heavily favoured factory teams. Seizing the moment, popular underdogs David Reynolds and Luke Youlden deliver a masterful exhibition of wet-weather car control, conquering the brutal survival test to claim a deeply emotional victory.

An incredibly emotional, fairy-tale weekend unfolds as modern racing legend Craig Lowndes makes his final highly anticipated start as a full-time driver. Partnered with Steven Richards, the beloved veteran delivers a vintage, mistake-free performance on the mountain. When their primary rivals suffer a heartbreaking, late-race mechanical failure, Lowndes cruises through to secure a poetic, tear-filled seventh career Bathurst victory to send off his full-time career.

The iconic Ford Mustang returns to the mountain in highly controversial fashion, triggering an intense, multi-team technical war. Team Penske superstars Scott McLaughlin and Alexandre Prémat dominate the weekend from pole, but the race builds into a high-friction finish clouded by strategic team-order penalties. Holding his nerve through a frantic, final-lap shootout, McLaughlin holds off a desperate Holden attack to secure a dramatic maiden mountain crown.

Run under the heavy shadow of global restrictions and the emotional, official retirement of the iconic Holden brand, the Great Race delivers a poignant chapter. Shane van Gisbergen and Garth Tander form a devastatingly fast partnership to honor the red lion's final factory appearance. Battling late-race rain and intense strategic pressure, Van Gisbergen delivers a masterclass in car control to cross the line flying the Holden flag proud one last time.

Chaz Mostert and Lee Holdsworth unleash one of the most blindingly fast, overwhelmingly dominant team performances of the modern era. Armed with a perfectly tuned Walkinshaw Andretti United Commodore, Mostert shatters the track record to secure pole position. Despite suffering a terrifying, mid-race tyre puncture that threatens to derail their entire day, the duo mounts a fierce, relentless charge back through the field to claim a masterful victory.

The legendary Holden Commodore makes its final, highly emotional competitive appearance at Mount Panorama before being retired from active touring car duty. The race explodes into early chaos with a multi-car pile-up on the opening lap opening up the field. Rising above the wreckage, Shane van Gisbergen and Garth Tander execute a flawless, high-octane strategy to secure a historic, deeply fitting final mountain triumph for the iconic badge.

A highly anticipated, complete technical revolution takes over the mountain with the aggressive debut of the lighter, lower-downforce Gen3 Chevrolet Camaro and Ford Mustang supercars. The unfamiliar machinery tests the mechanical endurance limits of every team on the grid. Rising above the technical learning curves, Triple Eight heroes Richie Stanaway and Shane van Gisbergen showcase brilliant adaptability to conquer the mountain's brand-new era.

The mountain plays host to an absolute masterclass in blistering, modern endurance speed. Run at a frantic, unprecedented pace with an incredibly low number of interruptions, Brodie Kostecki and Todd Hazelwood push their Camaro to its absolute limits. Executing seamless pit exchanges and a flawless tactical game plan, they hold off a furious late charge from Jack Le Brocq to shatter the overall race duration record in a historic victory.

High drama and a fiercely contested tactical tyre war electrify Mount Panorama from the opening lap. A series of high-speed accidents across the top of the mountain repeatedly bunches the field, turning the endurance classic into a high-tension sprint race. Navigating the chaotic pit-lane strategies flawlessly, Will Brown and Scott Pye deliver a masterfully poised drive to claim the ultimate prize and cement their place in mountain history.