Hi to all you Supercars Fans around the world!
It is still the ‘off season’ for Supercars so there are no races to review.
COVID – 19 is re-emerging as a health risk in the Sydney community bringing most things to a boring standstill.
As I once said in a previous V8-Log on my YouTube channel ‘COVID, COVID, COVID…. I’m Bored!!’
So to keep myself occupied and maybe info-tain my readers, I am doing a post covering the 2006 Bathurst 1000.
The 2006 Bathurst 1000 was run on October 8. It was a sombre moment as they moved into position to start the race. They left the front row of the grid vacant as a mark of respect to the ‘King of the Mountain’, Peter Brock or as most Aussies would know him, “Brocky” . Brocky was a living legend of the track and died tragically in the Targa West ’06 Rally one month prior on September 8. This was the man who had been out on the track since the late 60’s, was 9 times winner of the Bathurst 1000 (amongst many other titles that are too great in number to mention here) and pretty much the face of Holden for 40 years.
That’s not to say there were no great drivers out on the track that day. Mark Skaife and Garth Tander started on pole position. Alongside was Jason Bright and Mark ‘Frosty’ Winterbottom.
As the race got underway Mark Skaife had a slipping clutch off the start line. When he got close to the end of Mountain Straight he left the track, hitting the wall and damaging front and back of the car. They were already out of the race on lap 1.
The drivers did 3 laps under safety car while car 2 (Skaife’s) got removed from mountain straight area.
On the restart Jason Bright was the race leader and the dominant car. During those opening laps the Jason Bright and Mark Winterbottom car was flying, it was just so fast.
Craig Lowndes was battling with Jason Richards for 2nd place. Greg Murphy was battling with his former teammate, Steven Richards in the Jack Daniels Racing, car 7.
Heading into the 06 Bathurst 1000 Craig Lowndes was the championship leader over Rick Kelly by 27 points.
Rick Kelly was battling with Steven Johnson for position 8 and 9.
Dean Canto was following Russell Ingall but couldn’t get by him.
Jason bright was leading until he got a flat spot on the front right tyre, then Craig Lowndes took the race lead and just took off.
On lap 22 he had a handy 4.1 second lead lead over Jason Richards in car 3 for Tasman Motorsport.
Skaife’s Holden Racing Team (HRT) teammate, Jim Richards had no luck either. On lap 25 he hit the wall coming out of ‘The Dipper’.
On the 2nd restart, Steven Johnson was running 2nd but lost control on lap 28 and also hit the wall.
When the safety car came out for the 3rd time Craig Lowndes pitted to hand over to Jamie Whincup. The handover put them back in 22nd position.
The the pits were very busy with cars coming in but so badly damaged not going back out.
When the race restarted Cameron McConville was leading followed by Todd Kelly.
Around the middle of the 161 lap race, the main drivers were back behind the wheel.
On lap 90 Craig Lowndes did the fastest lap of the race.
When the co drivers got back in the cars Todd Kelly was leading.
The cars back in the pack seemed to have no hope of catching the race leaders; Todd Kelly, Jamie Whincup and James Courtney.
Towards the end of the race it was green until Jason Richards went off the track causing the 10th and final safety car deployment.
Soon after Paul Radisich rolled the Team Kiwi Holden Commordore, car 021.
Rick Kelly was chasing Crag Lowndes in the last laps but he just couldn’t find the opportunity to overtake. Craig Lowndes driving was flawless and kept his lead to the finish line.
Craig Lowndes and Jamie Whincup were the fist to receive the newly titled trophy, ‘The Peter Brock Trophy’.
Results for Bathurst 2006
1st Craig Lowndes and Jamie Whincup – Team Betta Electrical
2nd Rick Kelly and Todd Kelly – Toll HSV Dealer Team
3rd James Courtney and Glen Seton – Stone Brothers Racing