Pinnacle of excitement for the fans

WOW. No three letters better describe a trip to experience the pinnacle of Australian motorsport, the Bathurst 1000.

For an enthusiast like myself, you get a sense of just how special this place is. For the everyday person, there is plenty to enjoy and savour, too.

Many fans roll into town before the drivers and teams. This dedication says a lot.

They are not discouraged by the cold, wet weather. Regulars book their camp spots year after year. On race day, they secure their places at dawn, such is the demand.

The visitors come from all walks of life – from rougherlooking types to Prime Minister Scott Morrison.

For this week or so, all of Bathurst revolves around the Great Race.

In the area behind pitlane, there is little space to move as fans are given the chance to peer into each team’s garages.

Up the mountain, you get an appreciation for how steep and testing the famed circuit is.

You also enter the heart of the supporters, where the mood is jubilant and costumes are a common sight. Entertainment is everywhere and while alcohol is too, it is a surprisingly controlled setting.

The vibe kicks up a gear for the Top 10 Shootout on Saturday afternoon and then some more when race day arrives.

On the grid, there is a buzz of excitement but once the race settles down, calm enters the garages … until the frantic final hour or two when the prestigious Peter Brock Trophy is there to be won or lost.

That urgency is met with growing anticipation from the crowd as they wait to see whose name they will be chanting in the closing laps – as fate would have it, in 2018 it is the people’s champion, Craig Lowndes, in his last Bathurst start as a full-timer.

It’s a special moment as the chequered flag drops, celebrations begin and fans swarm to the podium to see Lowndes hold the silverware aloft.

Then it’s time to pack up, beat the convoy of caravans out of town and circle October 6 on the 2019 calendar.