carsales to 'Challenge Bathurst'

carsales is officially taking on Mount Panorama.

Two members of the carsales team will be among the 400-strong field signed up for the upcoming Challenge Bathurst event at the legendary 6.2km circuit, held November 28 to December 1, 2019.

Fully subscribed in its fourth year, Challenge Bathurst invites drivers of all abilities to compete in a choice of two disciplines – Super Sprint or Regularity.

The first two days are for Super Sprint competitors taking part in a timed shootout around the mountain -- like a qualifying session or time attack contest.

This year, the Super Sprint field is doubling as something of a test for February’s Bathurst 12 Hour, with top guns including Shane van Gisbergen (Triple Eight Mercedes-AMG GT3), Garth Tander and Audi factory driver Christopher Mies (Audi Sport Team Valvoline Audi R8 LMS Evo), Steve Richards and Dean Grant (BMW M6 GT3) and Tony Quinn (Local Legends Aston Martin Vantage) all taking part.

The Saturday and Sunday are reserved for Regularity competitors – that is, drivers in road cars without roll cages or other expensive modifications. This year, all 275 slots in the Regularity field have been filled.

Among them, carsales News Editor Sam Charlwood will compete in the regularity class aboard a Nissan 370Z supplied by Nissan Australia, while Road Test Editor Matt Brogan will drive his own Mazda MX-5.

“Bathurst is the ultimate bucket list circuit,” said Charlwood, who is competing at Challenge Bathurst for the first time.

“I’ve driven a handful of laps there on manufacturer days, but to have two days of closed circuit time will be incredible. I can’t wait.”

Charlwood will be driving one of dozens Nissan and Datsun Z-cars at Challenge Bathurst fielded by the Z Car Club of Queensland – helping celebrate 50 years of the famous nameplate.

“This year is the 50th anniversary of the release of the 240Z back on October 22nd 1969,” said category manager David Robertson.

“‘Group Z’, as it is called, will have 51 Z cars covering all the six different models competing on the track at one time, so it will be an incredible and historic sight and sound with all on these Zs on the track together,” he said.

“The Festival of Z which is running at the same time will see about 50 other show and club car attending over the weekend and in the days leading up to the Saturday and Sunday of the Regularity."

The Regularity contest requires drivers to nominate an average lap time, with the challenge being how close they get to that time.

For Brogan, Challenge Bathurst will also mark a dream come true as an enthusiast.

“I’ve been involved in the MX-5 Sprint Championship and the Australian Tarmac Rally Championship for just over three years now, but this is my first trip to Bathurst as a competitor,” he said.

Brogan races a 2007 Mazda MX-5 modified with Pedders coil-over suspension, sintered brake pads and stickier Yokohama Advan A050 tyres. The otherwise standard 2.0-litre powered model is certain to have its work cut out for it climbing the 753m peak of Mount Panorama, but Brogan says he is looking forward to the challenge.

“Since I was a kid I’ve spent every ‘Bathurst Day’ in my pyjamas glued to the television, so it’ll be a real thrill to drive my own car at the mountain in anger. I can’t wait,” he enthused.

For more information head to the Challenge Bathurst website.