Champs mount a case for glory
IF the history of the Bathurst 1000 has taught motorsport fans one thing, it’s to expect the unexpected.
“It is a race where anything can happen,’’ 2013 Bathurst champion Mark Winterbottom said.
“And the race that anyone can win. It’s not about who has the fastest car, it’s about who does the best job on the day.’’
This year’s Mount Panorama great race was launched yesterday when past Bathurst champions Winterbottom, Dave Reynolds, Will Davison, Jamie Whincup and Craig Lowndes gathered at Circular Quay in Sydney with the prized Peter Brock Trophy.
And even though all of that group, except Whincup, are out of the Supercars drivers title hunt, each of the Mount Panorama kings reckoned
they had a Bathurst 1000 shot.
“I don’t plan on giving this trophy back,’’ reigning champion Reynolds said.
“This is the race that just means everything. You don’t really understand what it means until you win it.
“This is the race that everyone cares about and the race you are remembered for winning. I want that feeling back.’’
Even shock 2016 winner Davison is confident of repeating
the upset he achieved with Tekno Autosport.
“What Bathurst shows is that you should expect the unexpected,’’ he said.
“You go to the race expecting it will all go to plan and sure enough it erupts.
“We kept ourselves in the hunt all day back in 2016 and sure enough the three cars in front had a big tangle and I shut my eyes and went through the smoke.
“Anything can happen if you keep yourself in the race.’’
Winterbottom declared a win at Bathurst would erase the hurt of a horror year for his Tickford Racing team.
The Ford star is out of the championship battle that is a three-way fight between Shane van Gisbergen, Scott McLaughlin and Whincup.
“We need to turn it all around,’’ Winterbottom said.
“And there is no better place to do it than Bathurst.
“It will be tough to have the outright speed to win but we have done it before.
“Anyone can win Bathurst and that is the mentality we are going up with.”
Winterbottom said that having six different winners in six years proved the Bathurst 1000, starting on October 4, would be up for grabs.
“The fast guy doesn’t always win,” he said.