[Lakes]

Ok are we going to have something on the great race?
Cheers
PS have you ever looked back at old coverage of the race? like in the day's when it was better to go to the track to watch? they used to carry a spare tyre in boot 

[Dazzler]

Ok are we going to have something on the great race?

Looks like this will be it John 

Trish just loves Bathurst (is glued to the TV for the whole race usually) I like to just watch the start, the highlights and the end..

[Surferdude]

Always a bit hard to pick a winner, John.
But I'll be glued in front of the TV (much to my wife's disgust  ).
I'd like to see a Ford win (or if not, Craig Lowndes).
As long as Rick Kelly doesn't do any good. 

[Dazzler]

Trish goes for Tander, I go for Lowndes, but I don't mind Courtney either 

[Surferdude]

There's "something" about Winterbottom,too.
He can be quick.
But "things happen" to him.
I'd be surprised if he wins a title - or Bathurst.

[Phil №❶]

I've done the full day bit in the past, but don't know if I'll get away with it this year.

Let's put up some justifications to convince the other half why you should watch.

1.  I'm saving the household money by not actually going to the race.
2.  If I went to the race, I wouldn't be home, so I might as well watch on TV.
3.  I didn't want to leave you alone, so I didn't go to the race.


Should be good with more brand competition this year.

Yeah, I think I'll watch it, I'll use number 3, that should be good for some brownie points. 

[Dazzler]

I'm lucky Trish is such a fan 

[Surferdude]

Fortunately my wife is happy for me to indulge my passion for motor racing and surfing.
She doesn't understand either of them, though.

"round and round and round"

"you've seen one wave, you've seen them all"

[Lakes]

I like to watch start & finish like Dazz, i used to like it the way it was no pace car, i think thats American, they don't race Nascar if it rains.

i was watching old racing footage from the very old open wheel race cars they had no roll cadge open cock pit drivers had old Cromwell Helmets & goggles it started raining & they kept at it flat out, they would be half blind from spray too & did not slacken off the pace. those guys could drive & brave too.
i hope Ford win too but just hope best driver wins with no bad luck for anyone. Also hope Rick kelly don't win. but i'm sure it will be hard to pick.
i got myself a big enough TV, always had small TV's that were not that great to watch as i don't watch much tv. but watch it a bit more now.

[Phil №❶]

I agree with you Lakes, apart from the safety requirements when there is a crash or debris that needs to be removed, I have difficulty with the SC concept. At Bathurst especially, where is is a long distance tortuous track, to gain a second here and there, is very hard on the car mechanically, due to the hill climb required for each lap. What is the point of earning a 10 second buffer by extending the vehicle mechanically only to give it all away if a SC event occurs. There is also much tactical manipulation available during SC laps, I don't think that is fair at all.

[Surferdude]

The SC concept came from the US as suggested.

However, there's a major safety aspect to consider. There were numerous accidents caused  by, firstly, drivers trying to avoid other accidents and later by cars trying to avoid the retrieval trucks which ran around the circuit with the only warning being a few waved white flags.

The Dick Johnson "rock" incident may well have been avoided if Dick hadn't had to move off line to avoid one of those trucks.

I grew up in the era where there were just yellow flags to indicate an accident site but I honestly believe the SC is right for this era.

Way back, there were maybe 50+ cars starting the race over 4 or 5 classes. Now we have about 30 all in the one class. From the racing spectacle point of view, the use of a SC doe shave the effect (benefit or drawback depending on how you see it), of closing up a field which has been spreadeagled for whatever reason. I've seen a number of long distance races in the last few years where, what would have been a procession with unbridgeable gaps between the first few cars, turned into a breathtaking "dash for the flag" over the last 20 or 30 laps.

In my opinion, the benefits outweigh the drawbacks.

[Phil №❶]

Totally agree that we need safety cars. As a spectator, I can live with whatever rules they adopt, safety of the drivers, is of course, paramount.

[Just Rick]

My money would be on the Nissans,I don't even watch the start these days,I just pop in and watch the highlights during the day.

[Lakes]

There are different ways to look at it, ( SC ) @ Bathurst. as now there is only one class. what about old days you would have those old V8's on skinny tyre's an stock brakes with the track in a lot worse condition & hell corner, they would get unto 150 160mph in straight & there would be different class's that could not get near that speed on the track. they would loose there brakes & have to avoid hitting the slower cars that they would come up on around a blind corner. what i think is if a car spins off into a sand trap they should just use yellow flag ( no overtaking ) but continue on leaving the stuck car stuck. bad luck he's out of it. but if an accident on the track then use SC till its cleared but the time gap when accident happened should be in restart. Call it Aussie rules.

[Just Rick]

Now that was a lot of years ago,then it was worth watching,when they had all and usunder on the track.

[Phil №❶]

Ah, those were the days, remember the little Mazda rotary that kamikazeed himself into the sand at the end of con rod straight. 

[Just Rick]

Ah, those were the days, remember the little Mazda rotary that kamikazeed himself into the sand at the end of con rod straight. 

Ah! Yes the perceived experience level,wrong approach speed,severe brake fade and a right angle bend with a sand trap at the end,Oh!so many ended up there.

[Surferdude]

Lakes, the only problem with leaving a car in the sand trap in a 1000 klm race is that, there's almost certain to be others go in at the same place, with disastrous consequences.

[Aussie Keith]

Not sure about anyone else, but I find V8 supercars boring as batshit to watch "racing". Even at Bathurst, surely one of the great tracks of the world.  I think some of the shorter tracks are now too small for these very powerful fast cars and I have pretty much lost interest in the whole thing. Ford vs Holden?? Pshaw, what a fabrication, a feeble attempt to inject some interest. There's not a lot of Ford or Holden left in any of the cars, hasn't been for years. In terms of spectacle, I prefer meets where you can see cars actually going head to head and even overtaking each other. Repeatedly. That's what racing should be about.   

I'll check in to the beginning and last half hour and maybe go for the highlights from time to time as well. But I reckon it needs to be open to multiple classes to be interesting. Nothing like the mobile chicanes of the slower classes to keep everyone on their toes. And it would be nice to see a proper mix of cars on the track as well. Even though the organisers say this " For the first time in 15 years additional manufacturers are set to make their mark as they return to Mount Panorama. Experience a new era of Australian motorsport as Nissan and Erebus Motorsport join Ford and Holden..." its not going to be like in the good old days where there were all sorts of things on the track. It's a start I guess.

Having said that, here's hoping for a safe day out for the drivers and a great race for the spectators.

And while I'm banging on here, another disturbing development, online betting. How many ads do you reckon there will be urging viewers to place a bet... Check this out: http://www.speedcafe.com/news/v8-supercars/

[Phil №❶]

I still find it the most exciting race of the year. If ever there was a track where passing was possible, this is it. There's a nice hill for cars that have the grunt to push through that area and a good size straight for those with taller gears to pass in that area. What makes it tough, is the almost non existent variations in lap times between all contenders, which team managers do their utmost in development testing, to achieve. I am pleased to have new brands this year, it was disappointing that Ford / Holden started using the same components in some areas of their suspensions.

The "old" race was a very interesting race because of the different classes, but inherently dangerous, by today's standards. There are many blind corners at Mt Panorama and drivers are still killed there. I would love to see the return of a production car race, cars the we can buy from dealers and no modifications allowed. Yes it would be slower, with tyre squeal etc, but enjoyable all the same.

[rustynutz]

I say, bring back the bikes! 

[Aussie Keith]

I still find it the most exciting race of the year.

That's quite true. In RL its a sensory extravaganza, the noise, speed and smells, the way the ground vibrates as the cars go by, the noise from the crowd. The telly shows all but its no substitute for being there.   

[Surferdude]

Having been there, I have no problem picturing it all from my lounge room.

I would love to see the return of a production car race, cars the we can buy from dealers and no modifications allowed. Yes it would be slower, with tyre squeal etc, but enjoyable all the same.

Phil, they have such a race early in the year. It's not quite the old "production cars" but the racing, with class performance gaps is similar.

http://www.bathurst12hour.com.au/

Enjoy. 

[Phil №❶]

Only actually been there once, but the thrill in lap 1 when all the cars were grouped together from the start, zooming through Reid Park, was a sound experience I will never forget, ranging from the ground shaking V8's to the mosquito 1600cc cars, the year was 1972.

[Dazzler]

I tend to agree with Aussie Keith to a point. I quite like the Master Class racing or whatever it is called where they race Mustangs, GT Falcons, Chargers, Vipers etc...

[Lakes]

i would like to see, bikes there too maybe one year Bathurst next year phillip Island. the track is a lot different now than when bikes last raced there .

[rustynutz]

Yeah John, how good would it be to see Rossi & Co fanging round there....  

Never gonna happen of course....way too dangerous!   

[Lakes]

thats very true.
the race is on tomorrow what time is the start?
i always seem to have to wait a long time b4 the start , it i know what time i'll turn TV on just before it starts watch first ten laps.
cheers

[Surferdude]

thats very true.
the race is on tomorrow what time is the start?
i always seem to have to wait a long time b4 the start , it i know what time i'll turn TV on just before it starts watch first ten laps.
cheers

My schedule says 10.30 am - your time.

9.30 up here, so if you like I'll post the result on this forum for you an hour before it finishes down there. 

[Lakes]

thats very true.
the race is on tomorrow what time is the start?
i always seem to have to wait a long time b4 the start , it i know what time i'll turn TV on just before it starts watch first ten laps.
cheers

My schedule says 10.30 am - your time.

9.30 up here, so if you like I'll post the result on this forum for you an hour before it finishes down there. 

  thanks Trev
I think DS saves on power, sou can fight to get it by saying, faded Blinds are cheaper than power bill.
cheers