Jamie Whincup's #1 Red Bull Racing Australia Holden Commodore. Photo / Getty Images
Jamie Whincup's #1 Red Bull Racing Australia Holden Commodore. Photo / Getty Images
There was Dick Johnson and that rock on the track in 1981, Allan Moffat and Colin Bond 1-2 in 1977, and Greg Murphy's "Lap of the Gods" in 2003 - events that make Bathurst the most talked about event in the V8 Supercars' calendar.
This year marked the start ofthe "Car of the Future" for V8 Supercars with the Bathurst 1000 at Mount Panorama unveiling new cars and new technology.
But how different are the race cars from their showroom models? We break it down. 1. Holden Commodore VF SS
The Bathurst 1000 is a Holden backyard pastime. Drivers like Alan Grice, Garth Tander, Mark Skaife, Greg Murphy, Todd Kelly, and legends such as Jim Richards and the late Peter Brock, have all tasted victory on the mountain behind the wheel of a Torana or a Commodore.
This year, the VF Commodore will be used by HRT (Holden Racing Team) and Red Bull Racing.
Ford fans will be out in force to support the Falcon after Ford Australia decided to pull the plug on Falcon production at the end of 2016. It will mark the end of one of the most evocative battles in motoring, Ford v Holden. However, teams like FPR (Ford Performance Racing) will be fighting tooth and nail to place victory in the blue camp.
Road car specs:
Engine: Turbocharged 4-litre Ford V6, 270kW/533Nm
Transmission: Six-speed automatic with sequential sports shift
Nissan is back to contest the mountain, though this time Godzilla is left at home and instead it's the Altima. The almighty GTRs, as driven by Jim Richards and Mark Skaife, were victorious in 1991 and 1992. This year, the Altima, driven by James Moffat, won at Winton.
The Erebus Motorsport private team, owned by Westfield heiress Betty Klimenko, came into their inaugural V8 Supercar season with great expectations. While this year has not seen any podiums for the team, Bathurst may prove a different story.
After the return of Nissan and the introduction of Mercedes AMG, an announcement came from Volvo Australia in June to contest the V8 Supercar championship, with Garry Rogers Motorsport swapping their Commodores for a couple of factory backed, race-prepared S60 Saloons.
