Next year’s Hi-Tec Oils Bathurst 6 Hour will enjoy a record entry list with more than 80 cars having already entered the popular endurance race.
 
Taking place at Mount Panorama as part of the Shannons Motorsport Australia Championships calendar, event organisers have already confirmed 84 entries are locked in and are expecting even more.
 
Remarkably, the current entry list exceeds the grid’s maximum of 70 cars with early bird entries open until 30 November, while official entry applications close on 11 March next year.
 
As a result of the significant interest from competitors, event organisers have activated a clause in the Motorsport Australia Bathurst 6 Hour Sporting Regulations, allowing them to continue accepting valid entries until they see fit.
 
The current plan moving forward will see any competitors who miss out on a spot in the race after organisers finalise the entry list offered a full refund or given the choice to be on the stand-by list for the Easter event.
 
Event Director of Hi-Tec Oils Bathurst 6 Hour, Ken Collier was thrilled with the amount of interest in the event.
 
“We asked our fantastic partners at the Bathurst Regional Council very nicely if they would be able to build some more pit lane garages in time for the race next year – but they seemed to think that lengthening pit straight might have been a bit too much work between now and April,” Collier said.  
 
“This is an unprecedented scenario for an endurance race at Mount Panorama and a phenomenal response from Production Car competitors around Australia.   
 
“70 cars will be able to start the race based on the grid capacity at Mount Panorama and, just as importantly, the number of available pit lane garages to allow teams to work safely throughout the event.   
 
“We will base our final selected entry list on ensuring the best possible Bathurst 6 Hour grid, both in each respective class and in terms of the quality of the field overall.    
 
“We have put in place very thorough processes with very experienced people who understand the race to make sure we come out with the right outcome.   
 
“Unfortunately, not everyone will make the final entry list and it will be very sad to advise those who do not make it to the final entry list of 70 cars.    
 
“However, those who do not make the final grid will have the option for a full refund, or to be retained on an active standby list in case there are withdrawals nearer to the race.   
 
“Anyone on a standby list who does not make the actual Bathurst 6 Hour field will of course have their entry fee fully refunded.”  
 
The current record for the event is 64 cars, which was set in 2017, while 68 cars entered the 2020 event, however that was cancelled due to COVID-19.
 
The 2022 Hi-Tec Oils Bathurst 6 Hour takes place alongside the Shannons Motorsport Australia Championships at Mount Panorama on 15-17 April, 2022.