Supercars, Bathurst 2018 race schedule and times

[Hogg]

SUPERCARS championship leader Shane van Gisberegen is trying to avoid getting caught up in the mystique surrounding the Bathurst 1000, but admits it’s difficult.

The Red Bull Holden Racing Team driver and 2016 Supercars champion will team up with fellow New Zealander Earl Bamber for this weekend’s race.

His best Bathurst 1000 finish was a second in his championship-winning year. “I think people get wound up in the race and the mystique of it and that’s what I’m trying not to do the last few years, but you just can’t help it,” van Gisbergen said.

“It’s such a massive race all your heroes have won there and when you get there, you get pretty excited.”

FULL WEEKEND SCHEDULE (All times AEST)*THURSDAY OCTOBER 4

07:15 - 07:35 Toyota 86 Racing Series Practice 120 mins

07:45 - 08:05 Touring Car Masters Practice 20 mins

08:15 - 08:35 ECB SuperUtes Series Practice 120 mins

08:45 - 09:25 Dunlop Super2 Series Practice 140 mins

09:35 - 10:35 Virgin Australia Supercars Championship Practice 160 mins

10:45 - 11:35 Porsche Carrera Cup Australia Practice 50 mins

12:55 - 13:55 Virgin Australia Supercars Championship Practice 2 - Co-Drivers Only 60 mins

14:05 - 14:25 Toyota 86 Racing Series Practice 2 20 mins

14:35 - 14:55 ECB SuperUtes Series Practice 2 20 mins

15:05 - 16:05 Virgin Australia Supercars Championship Practice 3 60 mins

16:15 - 16:35 Touring Car Masters Qualifying 20 mins

16:45 - 17:15 Porsche Carrera Cup Australia Qualifying 30 mins

FRIDAY OCTOBER 05
07:25 - 07:45 ECB SuperUtes SeriesARMOR ALL Qualifying 20 mins

07:55 - 08:15 Toyota 86 Racing Series Qualifying 20 mins

08:30 - 09:30 Virgin Australia Supercars Championship Practice 4 - Co-Drivers Only 60 mins

10:20 - 11:00 Dunlop Super2 Series Practice 240 mins

11:15 - 12:15 Virgin Australia Supercars Championship Practice 5 60 mins

13:35 - 13:55 ECB SuperUtes Series Race 16 laps

14:05 - 14:50 Porsche Carrera Cup Australia Race 116 laps

15:05 - 15:35 Dunlop Super2 SeriesARMOR ALL Qualifying 30 mins

15:50 - 16:30 Virgin Australia Supercars ChampionshipARMOR ALL Qualifying - Race 25 40 mins

16:45 - 17:05 Touring Car Masters Race 16 laps

SATURDAY OCTOBER 06
07:55 - 08:10 Touring Car Masters Trophy Race 4 laps

08:20 - 08:40 Toyota 86 Racing Series Race 16 laps

08:55 - 09:15 ECB SuperUtes Series Race 26 laps

09:30 - 09:45 Dunlop Super2 Series Warm Up 15 mins

10:00 - 11:00 Virgin Australia Supercars Championship Practice 6 60 mins

11:10 - 11:30 Toyota 86 Racing Series Race 26 laps

12:50 - 13:10 ECB SuperUtes Series Race 36 laps

13:20 - 13:40 Touring Car Masters Race 26 laps

13:50 - 14:15 Porsche Carrera Cup Australia Race 29 laps

14:55 - 16:35 Dunlop Super2 Series Race 141 laps

17:10 - 17:55 Virgin Australia Supercars Championship ARMOR ALL Top Ten Shootout - Race 25 45 mins

SUNDAY OCTOBER 07
07:30 - 07:50 Toyota 86 Racing Series Race 36 laps

08:05 - 08:25 Virgin Australia Supercars Championship Warm Up 20 mins

08:35 - 08:55 Touring Car Masters Race 36 laps

09:05 - 09:20 On Track Entertainment Kenworth Driver’s Parade 15 mins

09:30 - 09:55 Porsche Carrera Cup Australia Race 39 laps

10:05 - 10:20 On Track Entertainment Heroes and Legends Parade 15 mins

11:10 - 18:00 Virgin Australia Supercars Championship Race 25 161 laps

DRIVERS TO WATCH AT THE BATHURST 1000
JAMIE WHINCUP (Holden) The seven-time series champion may have claimed four Bathurst titles but he has been ruing his luck at the mountain since his last win back in 2012. Arguably the cruellest result was in 2016 when Whincup crossed the line first, only to be relegated to 11th after a post-race penalty for causing a late crash. Has won the last two races including Bathurst warm-up Sandown 500. Co-driver is Paul Dumbrell.

CRAIG LOWNDES (Holden) Crowd favourite Lowndes promises a fitting finale in what will be his last Bathurst as a full-time driver. In his 25th crack at the Great Race, the 44-year-old Holden driver is aiming to move his Bathurst victory tally to seven - equal second with Jim Richards behind King of the Mountain Peter Brock’s nine. Returns next year as an enduros co-driver. For the fifth-straight year Steven Richards will be Lowndes’ Bathurst co-driver.

SCOTT MCLAUGHLIN (Ford) The Kiwi will arrive at Mount Panorama in need of some self confidence after letting his Supercars series lead slip in the past month. At one stage appearing unstoppable with five wins in seven races this year, McLaughlin now must try to reel in Holden’s Shane van Gisbergen’s 55-point series lead with a maiden Bathurst victory. The 25-year-old has never made a Bathurst podium in six attempts. Co-driver is Alexandre Premat.

SHANE VAN GISBERGEN (Holden) Best finish is second in 2016 but few are discounting the series leader’s challenge at Mount Panorama this year. The Kiwi won’t assess his hopes of a second Supercars championship until after the enduros but can blow out his series lead with a whopping 300 points on offer for the Bathurst winner. Co- driver is Bathurst rookie Earl Bamber, a two-time Le Mans 24 Hour winner.

DAVID REYNOLDS (Holden) Once more famous for making the “shoey” popular, Supercars funny man Reynolds was taken seriously when he claimed his maiden Bathurst crown last year. A controversial figure off track thanks to his infamous description of an all- female team back in 2015, Reynolds is now considered the real deal on it. Currently fifth, Reynolds will hope to make a play for a maiden championship by becoming the first back-to-back Bathurst winner since Whincup-Lowndes in 2008. Co-driver is again Luke Youlden.

BATHURST 1000 ROLE OF HONOUR - MOST WINS
Nine - Peter Brock (1972, 1975, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1987)

Seven - Jim Richards (1978, 1979, 1980, 1991, 1992, 1998, 2002)

Six - Craig Lowndes* (1996, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2015); Larry Perkins (1982, 1983, 1984, 1993, 1995, 1997), Mark Skaife (1991, 1992, 2001, 2002, 2005, 2010)