Bathurst memories ...

[Torquative]

Hey all

before I make the trek to the Mountain for a 1000 kay race this weekend I was watching some old ads, promos and bits and pieces.

I came across last years ad for the 1000, "Mountain of Memories" where they have a collage of about 45 seconds worth of "memories" in the Great Race's history.

so it got me thinking about my favourite memories, and I started chatting to a mate about his. I thought I'd open it up here and get everyone in the Bathurst mood.

Whats your favoutire Bathurst 1000 memories?

For me

- Murphs shootout lap in the VY in 2003. I was standing at Murrays Corner when it happened. I would see the cars leave pit lane, then 2 and something minutes later they'd come thundering past, then 2 and a bit minutes later thunder past once again. There was no big screen, only dodgey trackside commentary (thanks Bazza Oliver) which was as useful as mrphphhhmrphh hahaha mprphhh Holden mrphphh 2001 prhphhhh Yahtzee. The only thing I had for reference was to keep an eye on the old timing tower atop the old bridge.

When the time for car 51 flashed up everyone erupted. The Holden blokes were cheering, sending high fives each others way and asking the blue brigade "can you see that". the Ford blokes were astounded. I still see footage of Murph coming up pit lane to a standing ovation from all the teams, drivers door ajar and hand out the window in celebration. Its like yesterday for me, even though I was up the other end of pit lane I can still remember watching the Kmart car coming up pit lane and seeing Murph cheer!

- Skaifes bag issues in the VX in 2002. We were there on Saturday and it was windy as all hell. I remember seeing someones tent uplift and blow onto Condrod straight during the qualifying session, luckily while under safety car. Theres TV footage of Murph talking to the commentators, then saying mid sentance "sorry but is that a tent in front of the car?"

I remember being glued to the TV screen on Sunday arvo, watching the water (or whatever liquid it was) overflow from the rear of the car. Only 4 more laps, then 3, then 2. The Perkins Castrol car was edging so close, the HRT car couldnt afford to push it - water and oil temps sky rocketing. I also remember when it finished they parked it, popped the bonnet and had to put dyno fans in front to let it cool down. A few more laps and it would have expired.

- of course the Murph and Ambrose issue in 2006. I dont need to say anymore, maybe Im a one eye Holden supporter but the big mouth ambrose got what he deserved. Ive watched a doco on him since moving to the US, he reckons he wouldnt be interested in racing at Bathurst unless the money was right, he has little interest in the track. Heck, I'll do it for free

Finally a weird one. Back in 2005 I was listening to the scanner and just scanning all the cars during practice. It locked on one of the lower rung teams.

Driver "its all good guys but that bloody light is flickering and distracting me across skyline and into the Esses/dipper" Team "you know just to ignore it, its a faulty sender or something, all your data is fine we'll let you know if theres an issue". Driver "I thought we disabled the light in the cabin though". Team "we put some tape over it, maybe its come off with the humidity in the car. We'll put some stronger tape over it at your next stop"

It bought back a memory of an episode of the Simpsons, where Homer has a "engine warning" light flashing and he replies "oh, the tape fell off' and sticks some tape over it to make the problm go away. I had to wander down to the pits and find out for sure. Yes, it was an oil pressure warning light in the cabin. The team was monitoring it via their laptops, they think there may have been a faulty light sender or loose connection setting it off as the car was bouncing across the top of the Mountain and being thrown around, so they chucked some tape over it to stop it flashing and annoying the driver.

How much is a V8 Supercar worth, yet they too have stupid annoying warning lights that can be fixed by simply disabling (or covering) the light!

So thats my story, whats yours?

[Exidor]

I like to be provocative at times so here it goes.

The Ford Falcon hardtop 1-2 win in the late '70's.

Oh dear, now i've done it!
Go easy....

[Oh_Your_Blind]

Wow, best memory..
When I was 13, my brothers friends were camping up the mount, so they both dragged me along.. if it wasn't the best experience at 13.. I don't know what was..
1 road in to the camp site.. 1 road out.. About 100 blokes pissed as newts, would stop you and gather around your car screaming "do a burnout".. If you didn't full cans of beer were hearled at you, anyway my brother somehow ended up in this group fairly quickly, so some old codger rolls up in a sigma packed with tents an what not, everyone gathers around and he pumps this standstill, as he prepares to take off, about 5 coppers appear outta nowhere yank him out of the car and arrest him.. Leaving the car as is.. Unlocked and vaunerable.. I just remember my brother screaming "Lets burn it" they break the stearing lock and pushed it to what's called the bullring, just this dirt section everyone gathers around at night about 200m by 200m, so they flip it and burn it, my retarded brother is does backflips off a burning car and sprains his ankle, and kneels down next to a burning car.. As you do and people are throwing fireworks at him, cans, basicly everything.. So we decided to piss off to the bottom and come back.. When we arrive back, the toliets are blown up, 2 huge light poles are cut down which were reinforced conrete, 2 paddy wagons were on fire in the bull ring, I don't understand how it wasn't classed as a riot.. They had kero soaked toilet rolls on fire throwing em at eachother, women were being ridiculed..
That ended up the last year you could bring grog up, I think its limited now, there's cops everywhere now.. But at 13.. Ill never forget it!

[nemesis_adrasteia]

i went up last year it was a good day even though there wasnt a holden win, and yes it is alotmore restricted no glass one slab per person per day, groups of police officers like 8 to 12 walking around. one car per site pretty mellow last year

[excalibur]

Best Memory is when "Gentleman" Jim Richards called everyone a pack of arseholes when the Skylines won Bathurst

[Reaper]

Brock power sliding out of the pits in '87. Magnificent drive against all the odds that day.

Reaper

[kniever]

was too young to remember but this will always be my favorite video from bathurst even though its qualifying. go Brocky.

YouTube - Peter Brock / Larry Perkins 1991 Tooheys Top10 Shootout Full

[Not_An_Abba_Fan]

I have a lot of memories watching the race with my old man and brother in the 70's.

But my best one would be standing in the grandstand last year and hearing the crowd go wild when Lowndes crossed the line for the 3rd time in a row. Then being late back to Sydney airport and missing our flight. Only to find that Lowndes had missed his too and was in the next line over, so my mate and I had a chat and got a few pics with him. Good times....

[nemesis_adrasteia]

last year i ran into mark skaife going aroun the back of the trucks he was avioding the crowds, had a quick chat with him but he had stuff to do

[ari666]

hey does anyone remember when the skylines thrashed the whole series? and then next year went on to win the race with 3 wheels?

ah those were the days

[ari666]

Best Memory is when "Gentleman" Jim Richards called everyone a pack of arseholes when the Skylines won Bathurst

aw dammit! you beat me to it

[hsvpunk]

mini winning bathurst.

[Troy711]

1992 when Denny Hulme had a heart attack on Conrod and died.

[Reaper]

hey does anyone remember when the skylines thrashed the whole series? and then next year went on to win the race with 3 wheels?

ah those were the days

Many people Dick Johnson was a bit stiffed in that race. Most don't realize he won the 1981 race using exactly the same rule when the race was stopped due to the massive shunt on top of the mountain.

Reaper

[Julie]

hmm bathurst memories... we pitched a tent to sleep there the night some fat **** pulled down his pants pissed right in front of us, he had a little dick so we teased him for hours. Then it started to get dark and there were drunk pricks everywhere and a few paddock bashers got torched and one dude was jumping up and down on the burning car and slipped and got melted paint or some crap all over him and sustained pretty nasty burns and the ambo had a prick of a time getting to him. Cops were there but it was a near riot and we eventually packed up and stayed at caravan park and haven't been there since.

[Troy711]

Ahh yes... the top of the mountain is a rather colourful place come dark. It's usually coloured with shades of red, yellow and orange..