‘The Great Race’ will celebrate 60 years of running this weekend as Supercars tackle Mount Panorama for the annual Repco Bathurst 1000.
A fiercely competitive 2023 season will continue with 300 championship points up for grabs to the winner of the 1000-kilometre enduro, with this year's edition also marking the first of the new Gen3 era of the Repco Supercars Championship.
Championship leader Brodie Kostecki will lead the charge of the 28 eager entries to and will look to pick up his first Bathurst 1000 win alongside the ever-consistent David Russell.
Although, his 155-point advantage over reigning champion and 2022 Bathurst 1000 race winner Shane van Gisbergen is far from safe - with the New Zealander eager to claim his third victory in four years with the support of new co-driver and fellow Kiwi, Richie Stanaway.
View the full entry list here
While van Gisbergen had the last laugh in 2022, there will be no writing off his Triple Eight Race Engineering teammate, Broc Feeney, who will again have the service of four-time race winner and now Triple Eight Team principal Jamie Whincup in the co-driver’s role, fresh off their emphatic victory at Sandown in October.
Whincup will be one of three highly decorated drivers to join the field, alongside Craig Lowndes and Garth Tander who all share a remarkable 17 race wins between them.
After many successful years of competing alongside van Gisbergen, Tander will this time share driving duties with David Reynolds in the #26 Grove Racing Ford Mustang, while Lowndes will feature as one of three wildcard entries for the event in the #888 Supercheap Auto/Triple Eight Chevrolet Camaro alongside Zane Goddard.
Dick Johnson Racing will field one of the other wildcard entries with the returning Simona De Silvestro and Kai Allen, while Tim Blanchard Racing will see Aaron Love and Jake Kostecki join the field.
Two-time Bathurst 1000 winner Chaz Mostert will look to power his Walkinshaw Andretti United Mustang to bring his co-driver Lee Holdsworth’s first Bathurst win, while 2009 and 2016 Bathurst 1000 winner Will Davison will be looking to bring his brother Alex Davison on the journey for their first together.
Practice sessions across the opening three days will set the tone for the all-important qualifying on Saturday afternoon, where the popular Top 10 Shootout will take place to decide the starting grid for Sunday’s enduro.
The green flag will fall on the 60th edition of ‘The Great Race’ at 11:15am AEDT on Sunday, but while it will feature as the sole race of the weekend for the ‘main game’, there will still be plenty to keep an eye on throughout the four-day spectacle.
Headlining the supports will be the Dunlop Super2 and Super3 Series, where some of the nation's finest young and upcoming drivers will go head-to-head on a weekend they hope to one day headline.
Additionally, Haltech SuperUte Series, Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia, Toyota Gazoo Racing 86 Series and Precision National Sports Sedans will provide a contrasting flavour with action across all four days.
There will also be plenty of off-track entertainment for all those planning on attending the event, including the Merchandise Alley Area, paddock activations, signing sessions and plenty more.
More information on the event can be found here.
Those unable to make the trip to the world-famous circuit will be able to tune in live on Fox Sports and Kayo, while Channel Seven will also provide selected free-to-air coverage, including Sunday’s race live and free.
The 2023 Bathurst 1000 will take place at Mount Panorama on 5-8 October.