Bathurst...Did anyone watch it?

When I was a kid, I used to love Bathurst. These days, I just don`t care.

I lost my ..well...like for it, when it went to V8 Supercars. I just couldn`t stand a two horse race.

I know they`ve tried to liven it up with the new comers, but to me, its all the same.

I liked it, to what I remembered it for, and that was production cars of all breeds and sizes, clashing it out all together.

Another thing is the way they`re trying to present it, and it looks like they`re trying to Americanize  it, in a pathetic corny way.

Yep, watched it as I do every year. Have also been there 3 times. Bloody great atmosphere at the track, just can't see as much as on TV

mtbeerwah wrote:
I lost my ..well...like for it, when it went to V8 Supercars. I just couldn`t stand a two horse race.

A Datsun did come 2nd

I went there in 1981 as a 14 yr old, and  that was the type of racing that I liked. As I said, with every make and class was up for grabs.

Just don`t like the current genre of racing.  BORRRING

watched most of it today. Interesting finish there for Wincup, maybe he should have paid the fuel bill earlier.

I always look forward to it but after 30mins I tend to wonder off .They all look the same make to me .

I also watched it as I usually do.  Yes, the formula is all about a big V8 motor under a silhouette shape, which is a real shame (not even Ford vs GM motors any more).  Back in the 'good old days' they raced the cars you could buy.  But then MotoGp, and even WSBK to an extent, has done a bit of the same thing.  Try buying a V4 Honda, Yamaha or Ducati 1,000cc sports bike. I hope they rein in world supers to that they don't move so far away from the stock bikes - don't just 'even things out' by mandating all teams use the same ECU, etc.  

But, good news, I had the laptop in front of me for the day and managed to back up a few 1000 photos. 

mtbeerwah wrote:When I was a kid, I used to love Bathurst. These days, I just dont care.

I lost my ..well...like for it, when it went to V8 Supercars. I just couldn`t stand a two horse race.

I agree totally.  
I used to love watching the four pot screamers giving the v8's curry over the top, almost holding their own down the hill and then asthmatically making their way back up, getting their doors blown off by the big guns on the way up. 
Four classes all circulating in one race. It was an outstanding format.  
I still have a copy,  on vhs, of the Mini Coopers showing the GTHO's how it was done. 
Classic vintage footage. Ford Cortina squirreling it's way over the top, all crossed up. Then pulling into the pits. The mechanic pulling the spare wheel out of the boot and using a + wheel brace to change the wheel. 
And then, the controversy of the Nissan Skyline. Godzilla. From memory, having to cary 1400kg of lead to make it an even race. 
I was outraged!
Ahh, the golden yesrs.....

Agree Bosco 15,

I am finding the format of the V8 Supercars a bit tedious now. The cars are mobile billboards - I know the teams need the advertising dollars but the way advertising has crept in to capitalise on the newer technology of the in-car, under-car, and beside-car cameras leaves me a little cold.

For the first time in many years, rather than watch the start of the race, I went for a 2.5 hour ride yesterday leaving at 9.30am. My wife was surprised to discover that I didn't want to watch the start of the race. Instead, I had a glorious time on a glorious day riding the coastal sections from the northern end of the Central Coast (NSW) to Swansea Heads (a southern suburb of Newcastle)

Despite the enjoyable ride yeaterday, I did watch snippets of the race in the afternoon. How do other people feel about the commentry? I like the technical comments added by Mark Larkham and to a lesser extent by Mark Scaife and Neil Crompton, but as for the contribution of Mark Beretta.....well....... (just a personal opinion)

Cheers,

If Ford pulls out as is "the talk '  what then ?

Hyundai and Kia

I watched it. I love Bathurst. It should be on every weekend!
The current racing is the best in the world.
They still run production cars there at some other weekend and 12 people turn up.
I also love NASCAR, Drag Racing, Power Boats and Speedway.
All formulas evolve over time.
Thank fkuc we're not still trying to kick start big bikes because it sounds like thats what some of you would prefer

madmax wrote:Hyundai and Kia

Hmm....

madmax wrote:Hyundai and Kia

Not as funny as it may seem, Hyundai has been bandied around before, as a Ford fan, yesterday was great, not to sure about the future though

barry_mcki wrote:

madmax wrote:Hyundai and Kia

Hmm....

Now that's just obscene!

I recall in my younger days a start method known as a Le Mans start.

From Wikipedia (so it must be the truth)

A Le Mans-style start was used for many years in most types of motor racing and required the drivers to run across the track when the start flag dropped to their cars which were parked on the other side, climb in, start the car, and drive away to begin the race.

I like it for two reasons, the first nostalgia, the second to address the obesity problem in Australia

BanditDave wrote:I recall in my younger days a start method known as a Le Mans start.

From Wikipedia (so it must be the truth)

A Le Mans-style start was used for many years in most types of motor racing and required the drivers to run across the track when the start flag dropped to their cars which were parked on the other side, climb in, start the car, and drive away to begin the race.

I like it for two reasons, the first nostalgia, the second to address the obesity problem in Australia

You might have to lay off the red wine then Dave ..............staggering around on the track : you'd more than likely get run over 

barry_mcki wrote:

Now there's 4 reasons that I might be swayed

paul wrote:

BanditDave wrote:I recall in my younger days a start method known as a Le Mans start.

From Wikipedia (so it must be the truth)

A Le Mans-style start was used for many years in most types of motor racing and required the drivers to run across the track when the start flag dropped to their cars which were parked on the other side, climb in, start the car, and drive away to begin the race.

I like it for two reasons, the first nostalgia, the second to address the obesity problem in Australia

You might have to lay off the red wine then Dave ..............staggering around on the track : you'd more than likely get run over 

I agree, Paul, the wine could be an issue but I think I stagger around without the aid of red wine, the wine only makes me worse.

I now see a greater problem.

In times of old, no two bikes looked alike. Times have changed.

The current manufacturers seem to go to a lot of trouble to make there bikes look a lot like each other.

Consider 20 competitors running across the track to 20 very similar looking bikes, don't even consider the red wine here, and having the competitors hopping onto the wrong bikes.

It could produce an interesting result