Bathurst

[portentous]

Ok it's all a bit quiet until the Ashes starts, so I just wanted to say "Go Ford".

Did anyone see the major bingle on the top of the mountain today? I was watching it live and it looked really nasty. I think both drivers are "ok" but would imagine they'd be pretty sore after an accident like that.

RIP Brocky - and Go Lowndesy!

[morell]

Motor "Sport" makes me want to >

http://img143.imageshack.us/img143/8581/sleeptasticdk6.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

Oh look they're going around AGAIN! :eek:

[portentous]

Cute kitty Morell. Hope she's just asleep or you'll upset the catlovers around here though!

[morell]

Cute kitty Morell. Hope she's just asleep or you'll upset the catlovers around here though!It is alive and well :)

It is from my favourite site at the moment >

www.cuteoverload.com (http://www.cuteoverload.com)

I am a sucker for animals. :o

[Ford Fairlane]

Did anyone see the major bingle on the top of the mountain today? I was watching it live and it looked really nasty. I think both drivers are "ok" but would imagine they'd be pretty sore after an accident like that.



Mark Porter and David Clark (http://www.theage.com.au/news/motorsport/two-critical-in-bathurst-smash/2006/10/06/1159641513890.html)(from Adelaide). Both in hospital fighting for their lives according to the latest news.

What's Holden won, 7 in a row on the mountain? That would've driven me crazy in my younger days! Go Ford! (what else would you expect? :p )

[dreamkillers]

What's Holden won, 7 in a row on the mountain? That would've driven me crazy in my younger days! Go Ford! (what else would you expect? :p )

8 is looking good...........Go Holden :thumbsu:


And I still dream of owning an A9X SS Torana.............:D

[Ford Fairlane]

And I still dream of owning an A9X SS Torana.............:D

Phase III GTHO :thumbsu:. But mostly just to look at cos they'd be a **** to drive! :p

[Powerstufff]

I try to dredge up the interest of days gone by but I can't tell which car is which and I object to the playing with the name.
1. Call it Bathurst, nothing else. Not the Hardie Ferodo Shell BirdsEye Challenge (or whatever).
2. Go back to the great old rule that the car you race had to be no more than a tricked up version of a street legal production car. If you wanted a V8 turbo charged missile you had to have made a certain number available to the general public first.
I remember in the late 70s we'd gather at someone's place. Toranas or Monaros would race GTHOs plus there were other classes racing simultaneously. Everyone who had any Scalectrix would bring it along and we'd build giant circuits as a sideshow and.....I'm getting old :(

Take a look at this (http://uniquecars.carpoint.ninemsn.com.au/portal/alias__uniquecarsau/tabID__203009/ArticleID__7094/DesktopDefault.aspx) to see more about when it was exciting to everyone, not just motor sports afficionados.

[Ford Fairlane]

Have to agree with you Powerstufff. I love watching at least the beginning of Bathurst, but I can't sit in front of the TV for 6 hours anymore watching it. It's the Homogeneous 1000. Since the BA Falcon came along, I can't tell the difference between the Falcodores. The AU might never have won, but at least it looked distinctive.

But the days of the HO's XU-1s and 6 pack Chargers, man they were great. Running around on skinny tyres with bugger all safety rails. Those guys were crazy! And back then you (or your Dad anyway) knew you could go to a local dealership showroom and buy one. And try to wind it out to 140mph on the Callington straight outside Murray Bridge ... ;)

Still, modern racing is a great, colorful spectacle. I've gotten to a few Clipsals and marvel at how fast and loud they are up close and personal.

[Powerstufff]

..... And back then you (or your Dad anyway) knew you could go to a local dealership showroom and buy one.....Exactly! The article I linked to above called it 'Win on Sunday, Sell on Monday'. But you are right, to your Dad. :(

[Ford Fairlane]

Haha, I remember asking my Dad to buy a Phase III back in the day. But he was a family man and they were the princely sum of $6,000 back then (and I was bit young to be taken seriously). Not 20 years later, an original condition Phase III fetched at least $25,000. They'd be off the scale now in terms of cost.

I reckon they did 12mpg if driven sensibly ...

[eddie_vrv6]

Haha, I remember asking my Dad to buy a Phase III back in the day. But he was a family man and they were the princely sum of $6,000 back then (and I was bit young to be taken seriously). Not 20 years later, an original condition Phase III fetched at least $25,000. They'd be off the scale now in terms of cost.

I reckon they did 12mpg if driven sensibly ...


Still worth selling one of your livers to afford fuel though, that said - I still want an old school Monaro more than anything....

[Powerstufff]

Still worth selling one of your livers to afford fuel though, that said - I still want an old school Monaro more than anything....You might want to do a quick liver count before entering a liver selling arrangement. Unless it is a good condition HG GTS 350 (http://www.holden.com.au/www-holden/jsp/chooseavehicle/popups/monarohistory/hg.jsp) Monaro in which case throw caution to the wind.

[blackdiamond]

Go Holdens!

[NSWCROW]

Always wanted KB's channel 9 CAMARO
SIIIIICK car
Go the ENFORCER today

[Ford Fairlane]

Craig Lowndes/Jamie Whincup :D :thumbsu:

http://images.tvnz.co.nz/tvnz_images/sport/motorsport/V8s/2005/lowndes_craig_d.jpg

[dreamkillers]

After Skaife stuffed up I had a feeling Lowndes would come through but with the number of stops and starts anything was possible.............

[Troy Wingate]

Mark Porter has passed away.

RIP Mark Porter.

[Sheeds]

http://www.smh.com.au/news/motorsport/porter-dies-after-crash/2006/10/08/1160245997853.html

Race driver Mark Porter died today after he suffered massive injuries in a crash at Mount Panorama on Friday while preparing for the Bathurst 1000.

Porter died at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in Sydney today after suffering serious head and chest injuries in a 180kph crash with David Clark during a second tier V8 race at the Bathurst 1000 meeting.

The Gold Coast based New Zealander leaves behind his wife Adrienne and one-year-old son Flynn.

He was 31.

His parents had flown in from New Zealand and were at his bedside.

Porter's family issued a statement tonight announcing his death "with untold sadness''.

"The family wishes to convey their heartfelt appreciation for the efforts of the medical crews who have been involved all the way through - at the track, at the Bathurst Base Hospital and at the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital and all of those who transported Mark between those facilities,'' the statement said.

"They gave Mark every chance at life, for which we thank them.

"The family also expresses their appreciation of the efforts of the officials of V8 Supercars Australia, all of whom have done their utmost to support all those involved in this tragedy.''

Clark, 28, regained consciousness this morning and is breathing unaided after he was taken to Nepean Hospital in Penrith in a critical condition on Friday.

His Optima Sport team said the Adelaide father of three is recovering well from a punctured right lung and has fractures to his pelvis, right arm and leg, while tests have not revealed any significant spinal or head injuries.

Clark woke from his induced coma with his wife Leah, eight-month-old daughter Reese and parents by his bedside.

While climbing the mountain circuit on the 12th lap of the 14 lap development race on Friday, Porter suddenly spun his Holden Commodore sideways, stalled and was left stranded in the middle of the track in an area blinded to oncoming traffic.

Clark sent his Ford Falcon sideways in an attempt to escape collision but crashed directly into Porter's driver's side door at around 180kph.

Ambulance crews needed cutting equipment to free Porter through the passenger's door and immediately commenced CPR on the track.

He was taken by ambulance to Bathurst Base Hospital and was airlifted later that day to RPA.

V8 Supercars Australia said they would launch a thorough investigation into the crash.
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[Ford Fairlane]

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/imagedata/0,1658,5268690,00.jpg

[portentous]

Was rapt that Lowndes one, but the passing of Mark Porter really puts a dampener on things. My thoughts are with his family.

The "odd" thing is that there were far worse looking crashes over the weekend that drivers pretty much walked away from. Side impact crashes are a total different story apparently.

Sad sad day.

[izzyskint]

Yeah I saw the crash, it was only about 50m from me :( Its one of those images that will stick in my mind forever. It was my first trip to Bathurst, if you ever get the chance to go, you wont regret it :)