Bathurst Entries?

[mattj]

Hey all, is there any word on how entries are looking for bathurst? who's going etc? entries close next week i think.

cheers
matt

[Mark]

Yeah, entry sent yesterday. Seeing as my ACT Series chances are shagged, might see how we go at NSW State again.

Hopefully a few roads from Oberon will be used - as we've got a good setup for those type - but I guess the dust is still going to suck regardless.
And getting to run down the second half of Mt. Panorama should be a bit of a buzz as usual: a chance to see how fast the Evo tops out at. Not looking forward to Hen and Chicken though-the worst roadbooked stage I've ever done.
For me, Bathurst always starts from the 3rd stage...(and sometimes finishes there )
Have been busy prepping the car: by the time Simon is finished welding next weekend, the car should be a bit stiffer and stronger again, better braking (hopefully with less brake pad knockoff), and better balanced. Plus have hopefully sealed the leak before the turbo!

Might actually aim for a finish this time

I'll be interested in seeing if there are a few extra entries 'cos of it being the last round of the ARC as well this year. But probably too close to the Perth rally for many hopefuls.
Could be interesting.
Mark

[mattj]

Originally Posted by Mark

And getting to run down the second half of Mt. Panorama should be a bit of a buzz as usual: a chance to see how fast the Evo tops out at.

Were do they start the stage for there? is it at the top of the mountain?

[Mark]

No, stage stars on the backside of the mountain and runs up half dirt/half tarmac (although they are slowly tarmacing more and more) until it pops out at the top at the park and flat grassy area up there. Because of the mixed surface it sucks on tyre choice: rally or road tyre? Rally tyres really suck on the downhill bends. Reckon I might see if I can borrow some 15"s road tyres off a certain VR4 owner...

Who are you running with Matt?

Mark

[mattj]

Im having a run with pete ewing in the mighty stannza! should be awesome fun! cant wit for it

matt

[gloworm]

Originally Posted by Mark

No, stage stars on the backside of the mountain and runs up half dirt/half tarmac (although they are slowly tarmacing more and more) until it pops out at the top at the park and flat grassy area up there. Because of the mixed surface it sucks on tyre choice: rally or road tyre? Rally tyres really suck on the downhill bends. Reckon I might see if I can borrow some 15"s road tyres off a certain VR4 owner...

Who are you running with Matt?

Mark

Steve's running.

Have heard that it is all tar now, but are trying to have this confirmed so that he can sort out tyre choice. Also trying to find out if there is a service after the Mt Panorama stage.

[mattj]

If it's all tar get the slicks out and have areal go!

[gloworm]

Originally Posted by mattj

If it's all tar get the slicks out and have areal go!

That's the plan - well sorta

[Kagan]

From when we were there last, it was all tarmac on the first stage, start at the base of the service road and run up that, much around on the top for a little bit then drop onto skyline run down through the dipper, through forrest elbow and onto conrod.

There was a service in the area right near the pit straight after that stage to stick the dirt tyres back on.

Again though this was 2 years ago, but I doubt they will change too much.

[Jme]

Gav's gunna have a run in tthe VR4.

Peter Roberts, Kingy, Gee are all no show's.

[Martino]

Originally Posted by Mark

Not looking forward to Hen and Chicken though-the worst roadbooked stage I've ever done.

Why whats wrong 'SO over crest' the the road actually curves off the to left, we still have a gutter to bounce us back onto the road...

also on Mt Panorama will 4wd all you to straight line through the sand traps.

Then at the end of the event we can be having a quiet beer or 3 and listen to the cops chasing hoons down Conrod straight, happy in the knowledge that we did it leagally 8 hours earlier.

[Matt Sosi]

Will be up there with Paul Newman in the VR4.

Regarding Mt Panorama, I was assisting in that area at last years East Coast Targa and it 100% tarmac up there and through the speccy areas. Make sure you have buffed down rally tyres for the first stage.

On the Mt Panorama stage, be careful of the first crest after starting near the tip. The car will get very light. I remember Steve Forseberg in the EVO had a big one a few years ago. Also, every time the stage ran for ECT last year, a car had rolled or had hit something.

My two cents worth.

Matt

[Rhys Llewellyn]

Andrew and I are running. Hopefully with some boost.

Something like a buffed rally tyre is good for the first stage. However, remember that it is not all race track. The first half is a back road, then you get up into the car park at the top of the mountain. It is seeled but there is heaps of rubbish on top. If your tyres are too sticky at this point you will just pick up loose gravel/dirt. If you are lucky you may have cleaned them off before the down hill section.
Yes, there has been a service after this stage every time we have done it.

Rhys

[raybak]

Anyone needs a nav for Bathurst, I'm available.

PM me if need a nav.

Ray

[Simon Gibbons]

I tend to agree with Karl on this one. Rally cars usually look very ugly on tar, and the fang down conrod straight doesn't really achieve much. Having said that, I was chuffed that the yellow tractor was pulling 217km/h thru the chase last year!
The stage at the top of the mountain was good when it was dirt, but now its all tar, it's really a yawn for both competitors and spectators.
I am no fan of hen & chicken lane either. It should have more calls for such a fast piece of road. Any accident will be a big one! I reckon the Bathurst rally starts at the first forest too.

Simon (who hasn't got enough of the flat plastic or the folding plastic to run this year).