Best Bathurst Finish ever?

[Crash Test]

How about it? There have been a few corkers over the years....which one is your favourite??

Here's a few starters:

1976- Morris/Fitzpatrick
1995- Larry/Russ
1998- Jim Richards/Rickard Rydell?
2000- Garth/Bargs?

[mtpanorama]

What about the battle between Lowndes and Bowe

[Wrex]

Have to agree with that MtP, those last 20 laps were brilliant.

[racer69]

1977 was pretty exciting, right down to the last metre's. Seriously, i reckon 98 because they were close all day, and 1994 because lowdnes took everyone by surprise. Also, i heard that Morris/Fitzpatrick didn't actually win the '76 race, that the lap scorer's got it wrong but it couldn't be properly proved and that Morris completed one lap less than the Bond/Harvey MHDT Torana.

[Crash Test]

How about the 1967 finish when Firth/Gibson won, but there was drama with the lap scoring, and for a while there it looked like the Geoghegan's had won...

How could I forget 94?

What about 93? The Winfield boys chasing Larry and Gregg all the way home.

Even the Goss/KB win- I don't think too many people would have seen it coming, even with the rain, and and altercation with a bank they managed to bring it home.

And then there was 77...how the bloody hell did I miss that one

Then there was the not so close Brock/Richards victory of 79...do you think anyone else will ever win by 6 laps again??

[racer69]

It would have probably happened last year if the Bathurst 1000 last year, Morris could have done it, but only if 7 were tight a,r,se's again and didn't bring over European competition.

Probably not to that extent, but probably soon, its been ten years since someone won by a lap or more ( those stupid safety cars ). It sort of happened in 87, the two Texaco Eggenberger Sierra's were 3 and two laps up on the Brock Commodore at the end, before they were DSQ'd . Why was carter DSQ'd as well.

[Crash Test]

Not entirely sure- electronics?

[mac]

As I've only been watching Bathurst races for just over a decade, '94 gets my vote. What about '91 (I think), when it started chucking rain down and all of the cars started falling off the track, including Skaife and Richards' Skyline, only for them to be given the race win? The best finish was Jimmy telling the crowd they were a "pack of @rseholes." It was funny.

[Amaroo Park]

I reckon 1987 was the year. Peter Brock had everyone baging him all year drove in the wet in the last 20 or 30 laps like no one had before. As a young bloke watching his first Bathurst I have to say it was the reason I got involved in motor racing.

[elephino]

mac, that was 1992.

I'm not sure what could be called the best finish. There are a number of different criteria. For instance, you could say Brock/Richards winning by 6 laps, including the fastest lap of the race on the last lap. Or 1992 as one of the most memorable, though not for very many good reasons. Then 1998 for a great race all day long between the Nissan and the Volvo. 1994, as mentioned previously. 1993 was very good as well. 1987, 1985 (sorry, but I love those Jags), 1981, 1977, etc. And they are the ones I know about...I'm not so certain on too many of the older races.

[racer69]

what about 1973, when Brock was gonna win but chivas ran out of fuel and had to push it back to the pits. My personal favourite would have to be Brocks last laps of the 87 race as well, i was only about 4 and its the first memory i have of motorsport.

[Crash Test]

Yeah, poor old Doug Chivas pushing it up pit lane, wasn't that the year of the Moffat spin and win?

Bathurst 87...."oh, Peter Brock is definately in control, dry tyres are the obvious choice for these conditions"...

Seeing the Commodore take some horrendous abuse from Brabham in the BMW was great to see..

[Crash Test]

Re: Murray Carter in 1987- his rear tyres were too wide, 262.8mm against 254mm that was allowed (under somebody's rules...).

[Ray Bell]

I have no doubts about the Morris/Fitzpatrick win, it was indeed theirs. No lapscoring errors at all..

The Goss/Bartlett win was a close-run thing, very close with them and Forbes/Negus Torana, rank outsiders until the race sorted itself out. Forbes was keen to win, but not keen to see the car off the circuit in the rain... They finished on the same lap despite a last minute pit stop.

Chivas should never have had to push the car in 1973, by the way. He came round Hell far too slow and cut in tight, killing what speed he had, otherwise he could have coasted straight into the pits and Brock would have racked up ten wins. As it was, I think Brock drove the last lap on a flat rear tyre...

Upshot of this is that three years later Brock was having problems with the fuel pickup bent and not getting the last ten gallons or so. He stopped on Conrod because of it to see if he could do anything, because he didn't realise how silly Chivas had actually been. He got bogged as a result, but got going, coasted down the straight and straight into the pits... maybe win number eleven gone west!

Nobody could call 1977 close. Brock had trouble with tyres fouling, so Bond and Moffat romped away, but Bond could have demolished Moffat at any time in the closing laps, the lead car having no brakes left...

As for flying laps driven, does anyone remember the Brock effort of 1985... after the screen was broken?

[racer69]

the 85 finish was pretty exciting, with goss slowing and brock flying. do you think brock would have caught him if he hadn't broken down

[Airhead]

As a Ford fan and Moffat supporter 1977. Sure it was not close and Bond could have won but thems the breaks. I spent too many disapointed Bathursts watching a Holden win to not savour the victories by the blue light.

In the same vein, Goss in '74 in the wet. You have to love Gossie.

[Ray Bell]

In a never-to-be-repeated slip into humility, Goss actually credited the recently-reparied KB with all the kudos for pulling the car through the wettest period of the race. Maybe Kevin was just conscious of the damage he might do to his plastic hip if he crashed...

As for '85, yes, I do. The Jag had that broken seat, remember, while Brock was pulling stunning times until the flawed timing chain let go... it was certainly looking good.

It's amazing how each race on the mount has had its moments.

70 - Bond under Moffat at Murray on the first lap had us roaring ourselves hoarse. We knew it wouldn't last but what a moment.

71 - the beer carton attaching itself to the front on Moff's Falcon. It was something to see, most of the spectators wishing that Ford would cook.

72 - Brock's first. HDT fans coped an early setback with Bondy rolling then Brock hounding Moffat in slippery conditions until the Falcon spun. Two one-minute penalties later for Moff and one for Brock. There was some tension in the air that year.

73 - Chivas struggle into the pits. As I recall I think that happened in the first half of the race, and the rumours floating around at tehe time suggested the winning Falcon's engine was on its last legs.

74 - the smoking L34s. Seeming unstoppable the HDT jugganaut was four laps in front at Lap 100. Then Brock out and Bondy had a long stop ahead.

75 - Brock's second win, and first after going it alone. A highlight for me was the fight between Bond and Moffat for pole on the Saturday afternoon. The top of the mountain was almost deserted when Bond pulled a desparate, on the grass at Reid Park (where he rolled a couple of years earlier) in avoidance of a wayward Datsun.

76 - I never had any doubts on the Morris/Fitzpatrick win. Certainly the place was on edge as the Torana obviously had problems and the MHDT car was catching it.

77 - Would have been interesting if Bond had of passed Moffat although he never would. His car was certainly not up to the spec of the team boss' one.

78 - From hero (in 77) to zero for the Moffat Ford Dealers team. Brock back in the family fold and a winner.

79 - Brock and Richard also led every lap of this race, despite pitstops.

80 - An early shunt didn't stop a trifecta. It was amazing in one instance. Brock pitted after hitting the Gemini. There is water pouring out of the front of the Commodore but nobody lifts the bonnet to check for radiator damage. They go onto win after Johnson's rock incident.

81 - The first shortened race. I had only left McPhilliamy Park a matter of a couple of laps before the crash. The early laps of that race were definitely memory lasting with Bartlett, Johnson and Brock fighting for the lead.

82 - 84 - The last three years of the "big bangers" and a trifecta for Brock/Perkins. These years showed up Grice as a worthy challenger in an era where the event was turning the corner in professionalism.

85 - The first year of Group A and one where the home grown product nearly beat the Europeans at a game they had been playing for years. If only those Holdens had double-row timing chains.

86 - Taking on the might of Rover, BMW and Volvo in Europe set the scene for Grice with Chicken Man Baily to win. In a conservation once with Brock once, he reckons 86 of all the years he was expected to win, was the one he should have.

87 - Those eggbeater Sierras were fast, all three of them, and the Bimmers. Another who was good in the wet was that Datsun driver Glenn Seton.

88 - 89 - They finally got those Sierras on the top podium spot. But it was the locals Longhurst/Mezera and Johnson/Bowe.

90 - 92 - Grice finally gets one along with Percy, a Pom but a good bloke. But in the background was that steriod-injected Datsun which was in a class of its own the next two times despite, weight, turbo and weather restrictions.

94 - onwards - All good and the highlights have been previously mentioned by others.

[Ray Bell]

Originally posted by White Knight
It's amazing how each race on the mount has had its moments.
73 - Chivas struggle into the pits. As I recall I think that happened in the first half of the race, and the rumours floating around at tehe time suggested the winning Falcon's engine was on its last legs.

Brock had been in first, then Chivas was given the signal "get max laps" - it was about two thirds distance or so, they were going for two stops, I think was the story. Anyway, it was well after half distance.

Originally posted by White Knight
74 - the smoking L34s. Seeming unstoppable the HDT jugganaut was four laps in front at Lap 100. Then Brock out and Bondy had a long stop ahead.

Didn't the lead get out to six laps at one time? And they still don't know what put Brock's car out, other than it detonated. Big story, this one, it cost Brock his job...

Originally posted by White Knight
75 - Brock's second win, and first after going it alone. A highlight for me was the fight between Bond and Moffat for pole on the Saturday afternoon. The top of the mountain was almost deserted when Bond pulled a desparate, on the grass at Reid Park (where he rolled a couple of years earlier) in avoidance of a wayward Datsun.

That must have been something to see, Bondy was still in his prime and he must have been desperate to do that. Also well aware of keeping his public place with Brock on his own.

[Razor]

The best? 1979 with the late great Peter Brock with 6 laps ahead and going flat out and sideways at certian corners, tradional Brock but the great man looking like he was doing a ordinary Sunday drive.

[peckstar]

you weren't even alive

surely watching a 6 lap win would be the most boring finish ever

half the crowd had probably gone home

[Average Punter]

I reckon 98 had a great finish although it wasn't the duel for the win so much as Larry/Rusty desperately holding off the Bargs/Jim Richards Valvoline car for second...

They had a great dice that lasted right to the flag.

[Chatters]

I'd have to say 2003, with Murph absolutely flogging them after dominating all weekend.

[D.R.T.]

Originally Posted by peckstar

you weren't even alive

Why does one have to be alive to have an opinion on the race?

98 sticks in the mind the weekend long duel coming down to 2.8secs and one backmarker.

Also the 97 race shouldnt be forgotten, with the Brabham sitting in the wall at the cutting before going on to win the race.

[racer69]

I wasn't alive for it but having seen the 1979 race in full i can say that the '6 lap win' was not as boring as it seems.

There was a light shower which sent some scurrying, and there was even a point mid-race where the second placed Grice/Costanzo Torana (Grice driving) was catching the Brock/Richards Torana (Richards driving) at a few seconds a lap, i think the gap got down to around 30 seconds from memory......

But in the context of the thread the 1979 race was certainly not a 'Best Bathurst Finish Ever"


The best finishes would i'd say be between the 1998 AMP 1000, and the 2000 FAI 1000.


Probably the best finish we never had was the 1981 race. (1992 on paper had promise, but had it continued it's likely the #2 Nissan would have walked away)