Bathurst Motor Festival - 2011

[Hawke]

Formula Fords have just returned from the Bathurst Motor Festival. It is somewhat a daunting track, with plenty of rise and fall, good straights, plenty of braking and very close walls.

I got a 2:48 as best time, with the winners doing 2:25. 188km/h up the Mountain Straight, 159 across the top, 130 through the esses and 208 down Con Rod Straight, and 165 up Pit Straight was the best I could do. Some of the modern cars were getting 238 down Con Rod.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4mN8WQDjdlc

[Dave Harmison]

Great video. I've watched your big touring cars there on TV and always thought it would be great in a FF. Talk about elevation change!

I have a brother in Wollongong. Maybe some day I'll come down and arrange a rental drive.

[Michael Rand]

Like Dave I have watched, and really enjoyed, the Australian V'8s, some of the best fendered road racing you'll ever see with 30+ Fords and Holdens at each round, and always taped or somehow saved Bathurst, the crown jewel in their series.
This on board videa is a true delight, what a circuit, absolutely spectacular.
To be able to do a few laps on board in a car I can relate to is intoxicating, watched it over and over again.
Thanks for posting this Hawke, and other Aussie circuit on boards always welcome also.

[Michael Rand]

Hawke, 5 laps at Mt Panorama behind the pace car, must have been a substantial multi-car mess ?

[TimW]

Way cool. Thanks.

Here is another view that popped in from my Google News alerts:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KJcDK9XL0p0

[Hawke]

If you are thinking of coming over for run in a rental, you should realise that the track is a public road, and is only open for racing twice a year. Formula Fords last ran in 2004.

As far as the size of the prang that caused the Safety Car, it was just one car that went in backwards at the top of the mountain. For what ever reason, a tilt truck was sent from the bottom of the mountain on the track to pick it up. Why there was no truck at the top is a mystery?

[Michael Rand]

So it isn't just us, as in the US, whose safety and emergency crews sometimes do things that make you scratch your head.
We go to some tracks where you almost pray that there are no incidents due to the sluggish response, and yet at times actually an over response in terms of number of vehicles and people, all moving at the speed of, make up your own slow vehicle, a State Highway employee working on the clock and near the end of a shift....that'll get me slammed I bet, but it actually drives one to distraction at some tracks.
Then there is the complete opposite, spectacularly rapid and safe exectution to minimize the amount of lost time and/or laps.

[Roux]

Here is my favorite vid of the Bathurst track

http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...09877425244029#

until of course I get video of myself in a Royale trying to ignore the trees on that long straight near the end!

Mike Rand is saying what I am dreading at the upcoming event at the Glen. The track rules are so strict and take away from the investment we racers make by not allowing hot tows or any imaginitive solution to stranded or beached cars. Its a good thing the good days outweigh the bad! I also understand the need for worker safety, but I am always more impressed when I see the work of guys like those at the VIR event two weeks ago or at Road America when we did the 40th.

I hope the FF's get to be part of Bathurst every year going forward. You guys were putting on a good show!. Hawke, good job on the brakes!!

[Swift17]

OK Rand, lets see - we'll need about five double deck containers for cars - two (ok maybe three) for spares and tools - ship out of Baltimore and SF -- all drivers and crew meet in LA - Qantas 747 to Sidney (what fun that flight would be!) --- I'II get some quotes .....

EJ

[0161FF]

Awesome weekend. Great weather, top racing, good mates having a ball. Well organised event. Three days at Bathurst without rain is unheard of. Can't wait for next year. Hopefully get the old 61 into the high 2.30's. Nice video Hawke. Cheers John.

[Dennis Valet]

Very cool Grahame! I found some slick shots of you at the race on this site...

http://www.speedshots.com.au/gallery...bimf/2011_bmf/

[KevinFirlein]

I also saw a video from the event of Luke Ellery. He bogged at start and ended up dead last then went on to pass 33 cars. Lots of shadow in his video but he was blasting past cars like they were standing still. I saw it on youtube but didnt save the link. Should be easy enough to find.

[Dennis Valet]

I also saw a video from the event of Luke Ellery. He bogged at start and ended up dead last then went on to pass 33 cars. Lots of shadow in his video but he was blasting past cars like they were standing still. I saw it on youtube but didnt save the link. Should be easy enough to find.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b1zi4FgUEmc

[Hawke]

Dennis,

Thanks for the referral for those photos. I've been scouring the net for the past couple of days looking for something like this. Its a strange world that someone from Long Island can find something in your own back yard.

Kevin,

That drive of Luke Ellery was really amazing. He started on the back row, and had overtaken me in two corners. I saw him cutting through the traffic and I thought it was going to end in tears, but he missed everyone, and came third. He sure seems to have some talent.

[swiftdrivr]

Hawke, I LOVE that track! It looks like something off a fantasy video game! Those downhill esses are just flat intimidating. Let us know when Fords are going to race there again. My wife has always wanted to go to the land down under, soooo, maybe.......--Jim