Bathurst 12 Hour Race

[Jamo]

Porsche doing what they do!

Briefly tuned in 3 times during the day and it was Nanny car leading the way everytime so disgustedly I thought same old, same old. But finally sat down to watch the final solid 2 hours and it was fantastic only the one nanny car (again in my opinion totally unnecessary) but at least it was short. The racing was bloody great and the right car won.

+ Apparently there was more green flag running than ever before for the full 12 hours. So a big step in the right direction there. I'm again enthused enough that I might go back next year.

[Dr. Pain]

There was over 4 hours of green flag running. If they had marshals on Conrod, they could have cleared that X Bow under local yellows but then again the safety car at that point did make it good.

[Exar Kun]

We ended up doing the Saturday - sorry I didn't call, Pix but we just kind of made sure we saw something from everywhere on track. Did the museum and the paddock during the afternoon lull. Left home at 5am and got back at 9pm. Long day but my 8 year old took it really well. Also went with a mate who moved here from South Africa 18 months ago so was awesome to show him how epic the track is in person.

Had a great parking spot at Rydges thanks to this sticker on my car!

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[Jamo]

I'd love a retrospective review from Pix or one of the other lads that was there.

Doc I think (+ hope) you mean there was a singular 4 hour chunk of Green Flag. If there was only 4 hours of green in an entire 12 hour race. Well lets just say the 'race' would not last very long.

[Duke]

Yes it was green flag for 4+ hrs (100+ laps)

[pixelboy]

Duke is right hrs 7 - 11 were all green. 312 laps and only 8 Safety Car Periods With A Total Of 22 Laps. That's almost double the laps of the 1000.

I don't think it gets better than the that. I'm not sure if it was good management or good luck but it was heaps better than previous years.

The GT3s are so closely matched and so are the drivers that even during that 4hr period the gap remained about 30s over the top 5-6. We were watching the timing and even without the safety car at the end, the 912 would have caught the Aston and possibly passed them. Look at the qualifying results, there was 1sec between first and 19th! 9 different manufacturers!

It's going to be really hard to match this year's edition. It had excellent teams, drivers and almost 290 green laps.

It is without a doubt the greatest race in Australia. It's got the cream of the local drivers along side some of the greatest drivers in the world. It's also one of the only big sports car races that gets free to air TV coverage!

I just can't rave enough about it. I'll be booking the campground for 2020 at 9am when they go on sale. It's just an awesome all round racing experience. On Saturday evening we walked the pit lane and spoke with several teams. I chatted to one of the Schnitzer guys about the car, the track and how they were doing it for Charley. All while they left the car car out in pit lane so people could look up close.

The only thing that would make it better is more night running. They should start it an hour earlier but I understand that would cause safety and telecast concerns.

I'm not sure what else I can say....

[Jamo]

That's awesome mate thanks. 22 laps over 12 hours I can grudgingly live with that.

My vitriolic hatred of the nanny car is that it reduces phenomenal performance to irrelevance. Can you imagine taking the lead driving out of your skin pulling out half a second a lap, building a healthy gap. But then, bang someone breaks down on the other side of the circuit. Sorry mate, may as well not have bothered your hard fought 20 second lead is now 2 tenths. Fuck the nanny car, it's an antithesis, it fundamentally breaks motor racing. For example no one would even remember Ayrton at Donington with modern nanny car regulations, it never would have happened.

Always thought the same on the time Pix. It should be 4am to 4pm.

[nutty]

Just got home after 13 hours in the car today getting back.. but wow what a weekend.

Ive done most of the major events in Australia, and this is by far the best ive done and it aint even close. Drove down with a few friends on Thursday afternoon/Friday. Friend decided it would be a good idea to take his XD Falcon down as a "pilgrimage", which basically meant I spent most of Thursday and Friday looking at it on the side of the road. But finally arrived and got setup in time to enjoy Saturday's top 10 and a few drinks.

Camping on top of the mountain was a cool experience, few dickheads as expected but nothing too crazy.

But oh man getting up for those first laps was an experience, ended up picking the grate as the spot, seeing them come through with the lights on, sparks flying from bottoming out on a full tank and the exhausts glowing was cool as hell.
Was great to walk around and check everything out and see and experience it all, especially to go behind the pits and see the cars coming in for stops.

Great to meet you pixel finally, thanks for the advice leading up and ill 100% be returning next year! just need to get in early for a bit better campground

[Duke]

http://arseforums.com/phpBB/viewtopic.p ... 05#p455305

[Exar Kun]

I reckon they should start it at 9am and finish 9pm or something. Maybe even start / finish later like Sebring. Do it on the Saturday if they have to.

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[w00dsy]

I assume they do it so it finishes at prime time for tv. It's a shame there's not more night running.

[DarrenM]

Looks like the view was quite nice in the morning.

[norbs]

That looks like a game render

[DarrenM]

If you look at the photo full size it looks like a painting. I guess sometimes phones can take a photo so shit it looks good

[GT VIRUS]

I assume they do it so it finishes at prime time for tv. It's a shame there's not more night running.

I doubt the residents would happy with being caged into their properties late into the night either.

I think the 12 hours start is unique enough to be worth continuing. Really, night racing is pretty boring to watch on TV in my opinion.

[Dr. Pain]

That crap photo works in full screen Darren. You might have phone art business on your hands

[Jamo]

Qually has been a wreckfest, fingers crossed tomorrow is not.

Any Arses on the ground?

[w00dsy]

Qually has been a wreckfest, fingers crossed tomorrow is not.

Any Arses on the ground?

Exar is there. He's watching the marshals try and figure out how to get the Lambo off the wall at the moment.
That qual session was like a public lobby.

[Jamo]

Porsche!!!!!

[w00dsy]

Killer lap from Campbell, I thought he was going to do a Murphy and knock 4 tenths of every sector but lost a chunk at the end.

[Exar Kun]

Just got back from a day trip to the Mountain. Will watch the race on TV tomorrow in air conditioned comfort instead of 40 degree heat!

Qually was insane. Got to the Aston crash just after it happened and watched Canto jump the wall in front of us.

Hopefully not too much carnage and we can get a good race.

Being at the track was good but it really was way too bloody hot to do anything. Not enough shade to get away from the burninating sun.

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[Jamo]

Absolute cracker of a race!

[Duke]

Way to go Bentley, finally got the win.
Glad the rain held off so it wasn't a lottery but the timing of it was crazy, practically started as the winner finished.

[Dr. Pain]

I missed this today. Bloody nbn got knocked out in storm last night, still not working, and people decided to have TV watching day.

[somebloke]

Definitely enjoyable like always!

Bentley imagine if that tyre let go elsewhere or start of lap! They were due some luck!