MOTORSPORT: Our Bathurst 1000 top 10

There are more storylines weaving their way through the 2020 Bathurst 1000 than a soap opera episode.

You’ve got the farewell of the Holden factory after 52 years of Bathurst success, the confirmation the Chevrolet Camaro will be arriving in 2022, and defending winner Scott Mclaughlin also departing on Monday for an IndyCar race that could turn into an IndyCar career.

There’s the lack of practice for co-drivers and pit crews that are an outcome of a COVID-derailed season.

There’s the delicious and very real chance of significant rain over the weekend – especially on Sunday – to spice up a race that very rarely fails to deliver shocks and thrills anyway.

And sadly, all of this will be watched live by no more than 4000 people per day as a result of the coronavirus.

No doubt, if the Great Race delivers on Sunday many thousands more will be claiming in years to come that they were there.

So here’s a few key dates, times (AEDT) and key numbers to take note of:

Friday October 16 4:05pm-4:45pm: Qualifying. This sets the grid and, for the fastest drivers, it’s their chance to book their slot through to the top 10 shootout.

Saturday October 17 5:05pm-5:50pm: Top 10 shootout. One man, one lap, one car alone on Mount Panorama. Supercars drivers say it’s one of the best racing experiences possible.

Sunday October 18 11:00am: The Great Race begins.
Laps: 161
Starters: 25
Mandatory pit stops: Seven

And, as promised, here’s our list of 10 cars we expect to be in the frame come hammer time with about an hour to go on Sunday afternoon.

Underneath that cheery Lowndes-esque persona McLaughlin is a fierce racer with the handy trait of funnelling perceived ills into on-track speed. And it’s fair to say he still feels aggrieved about Bathurst 2019. Yes, he did win the race, but under a cloud because of DJR Team Penske’s unsportsmanlike behaviour during a late-race safety car period. He also had his pole lap scrubbed weeks later because of an engine illegality. McLaughlin’s goal will be to win without controversy in 2020, something he can do unfettered having just wrapped up his third consecutive drivers’ championship. In Tim Slade he has a co-driver freshly stepped down from full-time driving. Intriguingly, some pundits suggest he is a weak link, something not aided by his clumsy first practice lap on Thursday morning when he made contact with Shane van Gisbergen and spun.

<a href="https://motoring.pxcrush.net/motoring/general/editorial/vasc-ev10-20-mh6_3688-pzgh.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-csn-inline-image wp-image-321625" src="https://motoring.pxcrush.net/motoring/general/editorial/vasc-ev10-20-mh6_3688-pzgh.jpg?height=427&width=640&aspect=fitWithin" alt="" width="640" height="427"></a>

Between them these two legends of the sport boast 11 Bathurst wins (three together) and more than 1400 race laps led at Mount Panorama. The next best combo has led less than 300. Lowndes has a happy knack of finding himself in the right place at the right time in this race, while in the past eight years Whincup has figured out a series of bizarre ways to lose out. The Triple Eight team’s pit work has not always been the best. Having said all that this team is very much on the front rank of favouritism, even if the car briefly caught on fire yesterday.

Two Supercars racing hardnuts who will be in the mix if they aren’t forced to stack behind their teammates at pit stops. Van Gisbergen is a perennial front-runner in this race, but not yet a winner. Definitely overdue to break through. Tander, the three-time Bathurst winner, is one of the safest pair of hands to share a car with considering few co-drivers have managed to get meaningful laps ahead of the race.

<a href="https://motoring.pxcrush.net/motoring/general/editorial/2020-supercars-redbull-vangiz-823h.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-csn-inline-image wp-image-321621" src="https://motoring.pxcrush.net/motoring/general/editorial/2020-supercars-redbull-vangiz-823h.jpg?height=427&width=640&aspect=fitWithin" alt="" width="640" height="427"></a>

Last-start winner Waters goes into Bathurst as the favourite for many. Partially that’s because he is an emerging superstar of the category with the requisite speed and grit. Partially it’s because Davison is a stellar talent who should actually be driving his own Mustang in the race not supporting Waters (he lost his gig when the team he was driving for was forced to withdraw from the championship because of COVID). And partially it’s because the Tickford Racing Mustangs have steadily closed the gap to the DJRTP and T8 front-runners in recent times. That’s an amazing effort from a Melbourne team that’s been on the road for more than three months.

Mostert’s shift out of Tickford to Walkinshaw Andretti United and from Ford to Holden has been a success for driver and team, delivering reinvigoration to both. The 2014 winner can be a bit hit and miss – he’s had some big accidents at Bathurst – but when he’s on his huge speed is undeniable. Luff is an incredibly consistent driver with five rostrums in the past eight years – no wins though. Even in tough years WAU pops up at Bathurst thanks to its tactical nous. Could win.

<a href="https://motoring.pxcrush.net/motoring/general/editorial/vasc-ev3-20-mh4_percat-1176.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-csn-inline-image wp-image-321626" src="https://motoring.pxcrush.net/motoring/general/editorial/vasc-ev3-20-mh4_percat-1176.jpg?height=427&width=640&aspect=fitWithin" alt="" width="640" height="427"></a>

Percat won the 1000 in 2011 as a rookie co-driving with Garth Tander for the Holden Racing Team. Now he thinks he’s got his best shot at his second win since he joined the championship full-time in 2014. The relaxed but competitive atmosphere at Brad Jones Racing suits Percat and the team has assiduously developed its Holdens in 2020 to a higher pitch. Randle is one of the coming men of Supercars racing, not even a recent battle with cancer slowing him down. A combo capable of a podium and maybe even a first win for BJR.

Last year’s black hats return to Mount Panorama with a real shot at a podium finish. Coulthard has been inconsistent in 2020 as he and engineer Mark Fenning (that voice saying “debriss, debriss, debriss” in 2019) search for car balance. If they get it right, if Coulthard is on his game, if #12 doesn’t end up stacking in pit stops losing time behind #17 and if the personable and talented D’Alberto does his job, expect to see this car in the lead group when the whips are cracking at the end of the race.

<a href="https://motoring.pxcrush.net/motoring/general/editorial/vasc-ev09-20-mh6_coulthard-1310.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-csn-inline-image wp-image-321627" src="https://motoring.pxcrush.net/motoring/general/editorial/vasc-ev09-20-mh6_coulthard-1310.jpg?height=427&width=640&aspect=fitWithin" alt="" width="640" height="427"></a>

It’s been a pivotal year for De Pasquale, who has won his first race and gained on-track dominance over his teammate David Reynolds. The Werribee lad has speed to burn and an ice-cool demeanour. His co-driver is regarded as one of the best young talents currently emerging through Super2. The weakness here will be Erebus Motorsport’s ability to bring them to the finish in a competitive position. Months on the road has frayed this Melbourne squad, but it traditionally performs well at Bathurst. This could be De Pasquale’s last outing for Erebus as he is being heavily linked to a seat at DJR Team Penske in 2021.

This season has been a disaster for Reynolds, who memorably won the 2017 1000 with carsales’ own Luke Youlden. Unable for much of the year to work with his engineer Alistair McVean, who has been locked down in Melbourne because of the coronavirus, the joker deep in the pack has worn a long face and been clearly unsettled. But McVean is back for Bathurst and brings his tech and strategy nous with him. Brown is a talent who joins Erebus full-time in 2021. It would take a major reversal in form for this car to figure at race’s end, but the ingredients are there.

At least five other cars could have filled this final slot in our top 10, but Pye gets the nod for his incredible ability to fashion a Bathurst result. The South Aussie has never finished outside the top seven at Mount Panorama – when he’s finished – and twice finished second. Not a great qualifier, he is instead up near van Gisbergen as a fast racer and decisive overtaker. A win is surely beyond this combo though, as co-driver Fiore is a safe rather than speedy pair of hands and Charlie Schwerkolt Racing is freshly expanded to two cars and still learning the ropes.