The Bathurst 1000 is an Aussie motorsport fan’s second Christmas. There is simply no doubt about it. We wait all year for the day to arrive, as patiently as we can. We gather family and friends, young and old. We fire up the BBQs and stock the fridges full. We battle for ultimate supremacy – whether the best seat in the house or who gets to bat first in the sacred game of backyard cricket. And we all have that one uncle who is asleep in a food coma at 1 pm, on yah mate.
However, our Christmas doesn’t start when we wake up, on that one special morning. It starts almost a week before, Bathurst week. We roll in at the very start of the week, and we don’t get on track until Thursday. However, everyone gets their first hint at what might be under the tree at 3:15 pm on Friday, and we can see our names start to appear on the wrapping at 5:05 pm on Saturday. And we finally get to tear into it at 11:30 am sharp on Sunday. Oh, so sharp.
For the four Bulls, Christmas Day is second behind every Bathurst 1000. You’ll often hear the greats, the heroes, and the legends remind us all that there is not a day like it. There is not an event like it. There is not a race like it. It is something every Australian race car driver wishes they could have all to themselves. But that’s the beauty of it. Some have claimed it numerous times, some once, some may never.
For the four Bulls, there is only one thing sitting atop their Bathurst 1000 wish list. A win. Nothing more, nothing less. But there’s no point in us going on and on about it. Hear from the Bull’s previous special days and memories, and how they plan on putting one of motorsport’s greatest crowns under their tree.
“We had such an awesome result at Sandown. Obviously, we wanted to tick that box and get those wins, which is a massive goal achieved for us. Also, for myself, that’s probably the biggest win of my career, winning an endurance event like the Sandown 500, but the championship is also a massive part. But now it’s just full focus on Bathurst. You always want to win there, but also want to come out with a healthy championship lead heading into the last two rounds. So, I’ll be fully focused on trying to win, but also on not doing anything silly.”
“I’m feeling good. Super motivated. I’ve been back in the gym and have been working really hard to shed off anything I can to be best prepared for the 1000. And of course, we had a great lead-up by doing what we did at Sandown. I think our preparation now, is more relaxed with a bit more of a pep in our step. Sandown allowed me to get a lot of laps in the car and it’s put me in good stead now going to Bathurst. I’m feeling really comfortable and at home in the #87. Every time you drive the car, you should be trying to improve and work on things, because you can always do better. There’s never going to be the perfect lap or the perfect performance. I’ve analyzed everything from the Sandown weekend and worked out what I think I can improve on. The one thing I’ve found and now feel confident about is that I felt like I had more if I needed to at Sandown. So, I feel like I can step it up again at Bathurst if we need to and really contribute to the end-of-the-day result.”
“I’m pumped. It’s the most exciting week of the year for us. I can’t wait to get there. It’s always just such a special feeling rocking up on Tuesday, and although it’s a massive week, there’s no better feeling than driving at Bathurst. But it’s Sunday morning when the nerves set in, so I just can’t wait. It’s the one I’ve been waiting for over 12 months now. There are so many memories at Bathurst. My first time driving there was awesome. My first win, which was in Super2. But then, I’ve had some great one-lap sort of shootouts over the years. Even in a GT car, I’ve qualified second there before, and even the shootout last year. So, there are lots of great memories at Bathurst. Honestly, I’m hoping to try and create the biggest one yet, but it’s just such an awesome place to be regardless. I just like driving my race car around there and we’ll try our best to be in a good position to fight for the win.”
“It’s the storm before the week. We’ve prepared well. We’ve had the weekend off to recharge the batteries and then head down to Bathurst early this week to get stuck into it. Bathurst is Bathurst, it’s a bloody hard race to win and a very easy race to lose. It all comes down to the amount of attention we give to the details, and we’ve just got to make sure that we treat it like any other race and give it a good crack. But I’m confident we should have 2 fast cars. We’re very confident Broc and Will are the best out there, so it’s just going be a matter of piecing it all together and making sure we’re there at the end. Heading into Sandown, I felt a bit underdone, but certainly felt good when I got into the race. So, I’m hoping that’s the case at Bathurst. It’s a big track. Each car will do about 1,000 km before they even start the race. There are so many practice sessions and a lot of opportunities to get up to speed. I’ll just be aiming to maximize those sessions to try to feel comfortable in the car.”
So go and wake your uncle from his slumber, bowl that beautiful yorker that ruins BYC for another year, and find yourself a comfortable seat. It’s a long day, but it’s one that only comes around once a year, so embrace it. Our crew is ready to go, and we hope yours is too. Here’s to a happy 2024 Bathurst 1000!
You can find all the key details and the full schedule HERE or head to the Supercars Championship website.