The best race you've ever attended?

[Henry]

What was the best race meeting you ever attended? While I watch the telecasts religiously, I've also enjoyed being trackside whenever the oppotunity arose. They were all pretty damned good; I saw Robert Rumble smash a hillclimb record at Mountainview Hillclimb in 1985, enjoyed the kart racing at Kembla Grange on many occasions, went to the Creek for the first touring car race, and found myself in the pits, standing between Sir Jack Brabham and Larry Perkins after the podium presentation. Eastern Creek 92, Oran Park 1990 both were good days out...
But my favourite was Bathurst 1994. LP's lurid powerslides in the early rain, standing in the Clatex Chase spectator area as John Bowe and Craig Lowndes whistled through with their cars seemingly glued together... standing in the crowd beneath the podium screaming our delight at the result... dozens of consecutive rides in the DJR Sierra simulator... hard to beat! How about you?

 

[Blu butterfly17]

QLD300 2003 Watching the battle with Ambrose & Skaife, and listening to that crowd roar was incredible. And Ingall won, even better!

 

[Mitchell]

I only started going to the race track in '99... So as far as pure enjoyment goes, i dont think i could go past the two Eastern Creek rounds last year... they were pretty special. Particuarly the first visit, when Ford's run to the title began...

 

[Keith]

Would be Bathurst which year I can't tell so many forgotten so many more to go to.

 

[djrfan1]

Would have to be EC May last year with the Konicas. 300m from the finish line there wasn't an inch between the 1st 2 cars. The car that won only pulled ahead to win by about 2 feet in the last 50 metres, or less even, it was so close.

 

[Rob 18]

Probably not the best race I,ve attended but worth a mention anyway, was Amaroo Park 1993, 1st ever round of what we call V8 Supercars these days. Gee there was some carnage that day and through it all #17 won the first race of two & was doing well in the 2nd heat before a Dunlop blew going over Bitupave Hill.
If I remember correctly, Bowe won the day in the #18 Shell Ford.

 

[Bigcol]

quote:Originally posted by Blu butterfly17

QLD300 2003 Watching the battle with Ambrose & Skaife, and listening to that crowd roar was incredible. And Ingall won, even better!

That drive by Ambrose i class as one of the best drives i ever saw and Blu Butterfly was correct every time he made a clean pass ,didn't matter if it was for position or just a back marker the crowd was cheering and there were ooh's and ahh's all round.Another lap or 2 he would have got Ingall as well.For me it was the Lakeside 1981,You could have cut the atmosphere with a knife.The hill absolutly went off when Dick got the start and even some Holden supporter's where cheering him on.The placed just errupted when he got the flag

 

[Henry]

Willowbank 03 must have been something. From the comfort of my loungeroom, Ambrose's intensity was truly magnificent. Lakeside 81 would've been a good'un too: I love the footage on the "Tru Blue" video of 17 & 05 though the kink at the end of the front straight in slow-mo: jezz those old cars were at it hard!

 

[DJR1718]

I can't say the best race I've ever attended, Bathurst has to be my fave! Love being in the pits, but have been to too many to remember. 1999 broke my heart though. I really enjoy Eastern Creek, had a great time at the Clipsal in 2003. Also went to the first & last GMC 400 in Canberra, they were heaps of fun although a little cold. Some of the best racing I've watched on the telly would have to be Phillip Is. (Its such a shame they don't race there anymore.) One track I would have loved to go to.

 

[Wazza]

One of the best races I have attended would have to of been in 1983. It was the first race ( I think) of the endurance series at Oran Park . The Falcons were given the freedom of using the bigger wheels and tyres. Dick was aware that there was a problem with the rear wheels getting stuck on because of the heat build up.He drove his back-side off to try and build up a huge lead because of an expected long pit stop to change tyres.After a lengthy pit stop at about 3/4 race distance he again had to give it everything he had to try and catch the eventual winner but just could not do it. What a race , I can't even remember the eventual winner I think it may have been Peter McLeod in the Slick 50 Mazda RX7.

 

[Henry]

Are any of our members old enough to have been at Bathurst over the Easter meeting in 1972? I've been reading about the clash of the titans that Easter, and would love to hear first hand about the Moffat/Geoghegan battle, which has been written into touring car folklore. As there was no film footage of the meet, all er have to rely upon is eyewitness reports. By all accounts itr was something truly memorable, as both men (Moffat particularly) drove well above themselves. Some of the reports of how Moffat absolutely drilled the lap record while craning to see around the a pillar of the Mach 1 windscreen opaque with Geoghegan's oil, belts loosened, scars in the airdam from where it hit the road coming down from a bit of air over the second Conrod hump are incredible... AM's wry comment (from something I read) was that "I did things I never thought I'd ever do that day", delivered with a flash of that tight, almost smirking Moffat grin, and it remains a masterpiece of understated heroics from a truly great, if somewhat abrasive and controversial champion.

 

[Quasi]

Until recently I lived in Canberra (since 1974), so didn't get the chance to attend many. Went to the second GMC Canberra 400 and had a blast. Apart from that I took a bustrip with 50 other members of my street machine club, to Oran Park in 2003......great day.

 

[Memiors]

Bathurst 2002 for me. Four of the best days ever. Hooking around above the track in a chopper on the sunday was unforgetable.Going this year!!

 

[Bigcol]

quote:Originally posted by Henry

Are any of our members old enough to have been at Bathurst over the Easter meeting in 1972? I've been reading about the clash of the titans that Easter, and would love to hear first hand about the Moffat/Geoghegan battle, which has been written into touring car folklore. As there was no film footage of the meet, all er have to rely upon is eyewitness reports. By all accounts itr was something truly memorable, as both men (Moffat particularly) drove well above themselves. Some of the reports of how Moffat absolutely drilled the lap record while craning to see around the a pillar of the Mach 1 windscreen opaque with Geoghegan's oil, belts loosened, scars in the airdam from where it hit the road coming down from a bit of air over the second Conrod hump are incredible... AM's wry comment (from something I read) was that "I did things I never thought I'd ever do that day", delivered with a flash of that tight, almost smirking Moffat grin, and it remains a masterpiece of understated heroics from a truly great, if somewhat abrasive and controversial champion.

They were going that hard Henry that they both lowered the lap record and both of them were faster by i think roughly 4 second's than there qualifying time's

 

[Henry]

Yeah, they were on it - that Moffat held the lap record at the end was one of the factors in dismissing his protest against the Geoghegan Falcon and its oil leak... mind you, the Gepghegan team had given the Falc a good wipe over by the time the scrutes got there!

 

[Brockies Mum]

The greatest race that I had the pleasure to attend was Peter Brock's last race at Oran Park in 1997. Just to have actually been part of it.

 

[Doug]

Best race for me was the Motorcraft 300 at Surfers in 1985. As a Flag Marshall at Lukey corner (just after the bridge)we downed flags and applauded when Dick took Richo in the bimmer for the lead,(dj had the prescence of mind to give us a wave the next lap) and later in the race after some rain had to haul him, richo and 12 or so others out of the ditch when they crashed at our point - talk about a contrasting day - it was magic.