Bathurst is one of Australia’s great sporting events
Columnist By Adrian Musolino, 12 Oct 2008 Adrian Musolino is a Roar Expert
- Tagged:
- AFL, AFL grand final, Bathurst, Channel 7, Horse Racing, Melbourne Cup, motor sports, V8 Supercar
Related coverage
- Horse Racing news
- Motor Sports news
- AFL Grand Final news
- AFL news
- Toyota Premiership news
- AFL Grand Final 2011 news
Bathurst’s importance to the V8 Supercar series is immeasurable. It is the categories’ showpiece event, its chance to reach viewers who ordinarily wouldn’t watch the regular V8 Supercar rounds. And as such, it ranks up there with the Melbourne Cup and the AFL Grand Final.
But where does it fit within Australia’s sporting landscape?
It has the name recognition like other events synonymous with others sports, such as the Melbourne Cup, the Indy 500 or the Le Mans 24 hours.
Bathurst is intrinsically linked with Australian touring cars and many drivers would rather win at Bathurst than win the overall drivers championship. This says a lot about the series and the importance the great race has in its makeup.
It can stand alone as a spectacle. Many fans only switch on for Bathurst while not necessarily switching on for the other rounds.
Bathurst may not stop the nation like the Melbourne Cup, or have the national pull of the AFL, NRL or soccer internationals, but it holds an important place in Australia’s sporting landscape despite the relative popularity of V8 Supercars, which is difficult to gauge.
There are quite a few fans that have been left cold by the current guise of V8 Supercars, missing the diversity of cars, drivers and rounds of the pre AVESCO led revolution in the mid-nineties.
The days of amateurism, privateer entries campaigning backyard creations at Australia’s greatest race, are gone.
But it was during this age that Bathurst cemented its legend.
The days of Moffat, Brock, Monaros and GTs, not to mention the age of Nissans, a rock on the track and Channel 7’s increased coverage of the race that took it to new levels.
It was as a result of this that V8 Supercars can make the claim to being one of Australia’s biggest growth sports today.
But the days of the Ford versus Holden platform are over.
It is failing to attract new fans and it is an antiquated, harking back to the days pre-internationalism of the car market.
It is important that the marketing of the great race moves away from this.
In terms of attendance, the series ranks amongst the big names of Australian sport, thanks to marque rounds such as the Clipsal 500 in Adelaide and the Indy carnival at Surfers Paradise – popular city based events that combine racing with plenty of off-track entertainment.
It is hoped next year’s new events on the streets of Townsville and Homebush will also prove to be a success, while the latter will help crack the Sydney market.
But in terms of media attention, V8 Supercars still has a way to go, especially against its various football rivals.
V8s rarely command back page headlines or significant time in news bulletins.
Bathurst is V8 Supercars’ one chance every year to dominate the press, away from the AFL and NRL seasons, taking centre stage for one weekend at least.
It is this contradiction that stalks V8 Supercars.
On the one hand other championship rounds barely raise a blimp in awareness, while Bathurst ranks amongst Australia’s biggest sporting events.
Today’s race is crucial, therefore, as a link to the sports past, and a demonstration of its present.
Recommend this story.
- Explore:
- AFL, AFL grand final, Bathurst, Channel 7, Horse Racing, Melbourne Cup, motor sports, V8 Supercar
October 14th 2008 @ 4:39pm
Philip Pouponneau said | October 14th 2008 @ 4:39pm | Report comment
I’ve been to the AFL grand final, Melbourne cup and F1 GP and none of these come close to the Bathurst 1000. The track has to be one of the best in the world with spectacular views and unobstructed viewing, It is a must see for any sports fan. I only planned to go there once but am now hooked and plan to go there ever year as long as i can. I think some people need to pull their heads out of their bums and give it a chance
October 14th 2008 @ 8:11pm
Adrian Musolino said | October 14th 2008 @ 8:11pm | Report comment
Interesting debate.
While I was covering the race I did have one day to float around the track and soak in the atmosphere and the ‘bogan’ element is still strong despite big crackdowns on the shenanigans that go on at the top of the mountain – 600 police on duty that weekend. What is sad is how V8 Supercars Australia seems to have taken a step backwards in terms of making V8 racing a blokes thing – the Four X girls etc. It’s no way to make the sport, or is that hobby, a family event.
As for whether motorsport is a sport there is a competitive element and the drivers are athletes requiring a specific skill set so it’s a sport in my opinion.
Says a lot of motorsports popularity when you have people questioning whether it is a sport or not.
October 15th 2008 @ 7:34am
sledgeross said | October 15th 2008 @ 7:34am | Report comment
Yeah, thats a fair call Adrian, and despite my good natured ribbing, I respect the hell out of the skills and stress these blokes go through, especially in an endurance event like Bathurst.
As for your definition of sport, I agree to an extent, but unfortunately motor racing doesnt specifically relate to skill or fitness. Its dependent on the quality of the engine. We have seen the likes of Mark Webber, who is alleged to be a skillful driver, never realise his potential. We have seen top F1 drivers such as Damon Hill and David Coulthard reach the pinnacle of F1 racing, only to fade into mediocrity when their engines were of lesser quality. Sure, all sports have that element of luck, but motor racing is more to do with something not related to the skill set specifically.
Again, I dont want to come across as a motorsport “hater” I just think its an interesting debate. My mates that are revheads always crack the sh*ts when I bring it up
October 15th 2008 @ 11:48am
Adrian Musolino said | October 15th 2008 @ 11:48am | Report comment
Yes the result is to some extent dependent on what sort of car / engine you have, but the actual act of driving the cars requires fitness, strength and skill.
October 15th 2008 @ 7:01pm
Philip Pouponneau said | October 15th 2008 @ 7:01pm | Report comment
If motor racing is not a sport then neither is horese racing, bobsled, cycling etc. Motor racing does require fitness these days at the highest level and plenty of skill. Some people are just to rude to give it credit. As for v8 supercars being a “BOGAN” sport well there is as much wrong with being a “BOGAN” than there is being a horse racing toff.
October 16th 2008 @ 8:07am
sledgeross said | October 16th 2008 @ 8:07am | Report comment
Yeah, ok Phil, Ill concede horse racing isnt a “sport” in the true sense either, but you are wrong about the other examples. You could put Lance Armstrong on a bmx and me on the most expensive kevlar carbon racing bike and he would still beat me.
I think you are confusing the issue somewhat. Fitness and skill doesnt necessarily equate to being a sport. I certainly havent belittled the skill and abilty of any of the drivers, Im just asking the question how we individually classify sport.
October 16th 2008 @ 11:14am
Adrian Musolino said | October 16th 2008 @ 11:14am | Report comment
You could make the some arguement with motorsport. If you put Mark Webber in a Mitsubishi Colt and me in a Ferrari and see who could finish first at Bathurst he would still beat me because he has the skill to get the best out of his car around that track.
I understand your point though and motorsport has not done enough to give people the sense that it is a competitve sport testing driver ability, especially in F1.
October 17th 2008 @ 1:39pm
Philip Pouponneau said | October 17th 2008 @ 1:39pm | Report comment
Well the Oxford dictionary describes the word sport as a game or competitive activity usually involving physical exertion. I think top level Motorsport at least meets that criteria ,hell i couldn’t do 80 odd laps in one of those cars at break neck speed i would be buggered. Each to their own i suppose
August 26th 2009 @ 10:16am
David said | August 26th 2009 @ 10:16am | Report comment
So is golf a sport? It requires skill and discipline, but basically nothing in terms of speed, strength or stamina – unless you’re talking club-head speed, mental toughness and the ability to walk around eighteen holes.
There are sports and there are sports.