Bathurst 12H: Event hour 5 report

HOUR five of the Armor All Bathurst 12 Hour has passed with the safety car in the lead as rain falls on the Mount Panorama circuit.

The Supercar Club Lamborghini Gallardo safety car was called out on lap 88 after the number 14 Hankook Honda Integra spun on the greasy track and was kept out to control the field until conditions improve.

The leader at 11.30 was Des Wall, in a Mitsubshi Lancer Evo 9, with a 12.2 second margin over Tim Leahy in a Globe/Westrac Mitsubishi he shares with actor Eric Bana and Peter Hill.

After a reshuffle of positions caused by pit stops, the leading Mitsubishi of Rod Salmon slipped to third place.

The first four cars had completed 95 laps or 590 kilometres at 11.30 am.

A total of 42 cars (correct) started at 6.30 am and face a journey of up to around 1500 kilometres, depending on the pace dictated by weather. The Armor All Bathurst 12 Hour, in its fourth year as the ultimate test of showroom-standard production cars, is Australia's longest motor race.

TOP FIVE (11.30 am)

1 Car 38# Des, Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9, 95 laps, lead 12.21 seconds
2 62# Tim Leahy, Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 10, 95 laps
3 1# Rod Salmon Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 10, 95 laps
4 20# Gary Holt, BMW 335i, 95 laps
5 85# Andrew Jones, Holden R8 Clubsport Sportwagon

-source: bathurst 12h