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Unique insight into Bathurst 1000

Unique insight into the Super Cheap Auto 1000 at Bathurst Some of the current greats of Australian Motorsport offer a unique and emotive insight into what it means to compete in and win the Super Cheap Auto 1000 at Bathurst in an innovative ...

Published: Jun 30, 2005, 1:03 AM

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Unique insight into the Super Cheap Auto 1000 at Bathurst

Some of the current greats of Australian Motorsport offer a unique and emotive insight into what it means to compete in and win the Super Cheap Auto 1000 at Bathurst in an innovative series of television commercials to be aired across the country from this Friday (July 1).

Four-time Bathurst winners Greg Murphy and Mark Skaife, 1996 winner Craig Lowndes and current V8 Supercar Championship Series titleholder Marcos Ambrose star in the commercials where they offer their defining thoughts on one of Australia's ultimate sporting prizes.

The Super Cheap Auto 1000 will be held at Mount Panorama from October 6-9. Grandstand and corporate tickets are virtually sold out. For inquiries please see www.ticketmaster.com.au or phone 1300 136 122.

On the eve of the commercial going to air, Lowndes, the youngest winner of the Super Cheap Auto 1000 prior to the last two victories of Rick Kelly, recalled his first experiences on the infamous mountain when he finished second to the great Dick Johnson and John Bowe in 1994.

"My first time at the mount was just a huge joy, it's very hard to explain," Lowndes said.

"At the end of the race I couldn't get out of the racecar, I couldn't let go of the steering wheel. Once the adrenalin actually slowed up I was a wreck mentally and physically.

"Then to stand on the podium was amazing knowing that as a kid I'd sit at home watching TV hoping that one day that I could actually complete a race at Mount Panorama.

"Bathurst is the most traditional race for a race driver in Australia. It has a huge impact on who you are, who you become, and you always go down in history of winning the best race in Australia."

In contrast Ambrose, who is yet to win at Bathurst with fourth last year his best result, has a void in his career.

"It's a pain in my side," Ambrose said. "I've really got to win that race before I die. That's pretty much it."

Ambrose said racing at the mountain was something no race driver could really explain.

"My first experience at Bathurst in a V8 Supercar was life changing. It's the first time I've genuinely been scared for myself out there on the racetrack and it's the only track in the world that I've driven on that commands your total respect," Ambrose said.

"It's my greatest challenge in motor sport to this date. It has made me frustrated because I can't conquer it, and it's going to be a life-long pursuit until I do. I'll keep coming back until I get one."

Murphy and Skaife have been far more fortunate than Ambrose and Lowndes. They are behind only Larry Perkins (six), Jim Richards (seven) and Peter Brock (nine) as the most prolific winners of the event.

"The mountain is a goal that I set a long, long time ago and the history of it means so much to me. And to win it puts you a step above the rest," Murphy said.

"There's so many things that can determine the outcome of the race and you have to do everything right. No-one wins this by being lucky, even though people like to say so afterwards. That's just not true.

"Now it's a harder race to win than ever before because of the competition, and mentally you need to be able to break away from everything and do the job on the track. Every lap, break it down for every lap. Every lap is a whole new challenge."

Skaife agreed.

"This one's different because it has the tradition, it has the racetrack, and it has the level of competition that we've got, that it means more today to win it than ever in our history," he said.

"It's the place, there's no other circuit that has the unforgiving character that Bathurst has got. And when you do a great lap there, it's more rewarding than any other racetrack I've ever driven on."

-www.v8supercar.com.au/

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