Drama On The Mountain ... Again

Is there another race in the world like the Bathurst 1000?

From the demanding Mount Panorama track to the frankly bizarre weather conditions, the traditional enduro is surely the most unpredictable and exciting long distance race in the world.

Sure, Le Mans is amazing – but Bathurst regularly throws up more sub-plots and more twists than any other event.

Today alone, there was a lead change and a spin in turn one, and even before the race had started there were showers and periods of sunshine in equal measure.
Mark Winterbottom – the man they call Frosty – was ironically bailing out of his car halfway up pit lane on Lap 50 as his Ford burst into flames.
Through the gloom, the unlikely duo of Greg Ritter and David Besnard emerged as possible winners - or would it be the sentimental favourites, veterans Mark Skaife and Greg Murphy … only for yet another crash at the Dipper prompting another safety car period, and Garth Tander and Will Davison surviving a three-lap sprint to the end.

It was just the latest chapter in a catalogue of dramatic moments at Bathurst.

We all remember Jim Richards hitting that kangaroo, Dick Johnson hitting that rock when leading in 1980, and a plastic bag in the radiator nearly costing Skaife victory a few years ago.

We remember Brocky’s nine wins and those amazing duels with Allan Moffat in the 1970s and 80s.

We remember Craig Lowndes in tears winning the year after Brock’s death, and Glenn Seton’s luckless attempts at conquering the mountain – he was second three times and his engine gave up when leading in 1995.

The only thing you can expect about Mount Panorama is that it will throw up the unexpected.