Every year, in October, it seems that a large portion of Australasian motorsport fans put all other distractions aside, and watch “The Great Race”, the Bathurst 1000. The build-up, and the race itself, lasts the best part of a full day, and the entire event, which spans several days, enjoys something of a carnival atmosphere, with race fans setting up camp on the edges of the track, and particularly at the top of the mountain, several days before the race itself. For those who can’t attend in person, the race is broadcast live on television, and parties are organised so people can enjoy the race over a couple of beers with their mates.
Modern day Australian V8 Supercars bare little resemblance to their road-going counterparts, but the race cars themselves have been cleverly manipulated through a set of strict regulations which makes the two different manufacturers, those of Ford (Falcon), and Holden (Commodore), virtually identical in performance. Brand loyalty is strong in Australia, hence the reason so much effort is made to create equality on the race track, and for the most part, fans are loyal to either of the two brands, but not both.
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