Atko starting 7th

[raybak]

The team of Chris Atkinson, Cody Crocker and Dean Herridge are starting 7th in their Subaru for Sunday's 12 hour race at Bathurst.

They were as high as 3rd in practice in the morning.

Race starts at 5:45am and live timing is available at http://www.bimf.com.au

Was an interesting day at the mountain today with it being very blustery winds. Atko showed real pace and was one of the quickest all day. Will be interesting to see if the cars hold up for the 12 hours.

I hope to get some photos up later tonight.

Ray

[Erki]

5:45 local time? Why so early? And can anyone tell me what time zone is it in? Too bad there's no TV coverage for it, would love to watch it live.

[MJW]

5:45 local time? Why so early? And can anyone tell me what time zone is it in? Too bad there's no TV coverage for it, would love to watch it live.

You do realise this event takes place in Australia?!!

[raybak]

Timezone is Australian Eastern Standard Time. The event is being covered by Channel 9 to be shown at a later date. I'll try and get some footage for everyone to see.

Ray

[Livewireshock]

Full Grid for Bathurst 12 hour (like an Australian version of Nurburgring 24 hour)

Tarmac rally cars have been allowed to enter under modified Gp. N conditions.


Pos Car Entrant Driver Vehicle Cap CL Laps Fastest...Lap Gap

1 20 "Eastern Creek Karts, Yokohama G.Holt/P.Morris BMW 335i A 16 14 2:32.1348*

2 15 Scott's Transport Rick Bates Mits Lancer RS EVO V B 12 1 2:32.3169 0:00.1821

3 17 Rondo Chris Pither BMW 335i A 16 4 2:32.8544 0:00.7196

4 7 Subaru Australia G.Denyer/N.Crompton/
C.Alajajian Subaru WRX Sti Spec B 20 19 2:34.3263 0:02.1915

5 38 Pro-Duct Motorsport Pty Ltd M.King/M.Brame Mits Lancer RS EVO V B 10 5 2:34.6614 0:02.5266

6 25 WBR-Wilson Brothers Racing T.Sipp/C.Dágostin/
S.Nicholas Subaru WRX Sti B 16 3 2:35.0338 0:02.899

7 98 Subaru Australia C.Atkinson/D.Herridge/
C.Crocker WRX Sti Spec C B 21 20 2:35.9594 0:03.8246

8 33 Pro-Duct Motorsport Pty Ltd Bob Pearson Mits Lancer RS EVO V B 8 5 2:37.8762 0:05.7414

9 3 S.A.E. College Luke Searle BMW 130i C 20 8 2:38.4146 0:06.2798

10 24 Wilsons Solicitors & Accountan G.Walden/M.Auld Commodore VY SS D 17 6 2:38.7782 0:06.6434

11 21 Century 21 Hazelbrook C.Delfsma/J.Elsegood Ford BF Falcon XR8 D 12 1 2:38.8429 0:06.7081

12 9 Australian Motor Finance A.Moffat/D.Russell BMW 130i C 10 4 2:39.6919 0:07.5571

13 2 Kitome Pty Ltd Brad Lowe Ford TE 50 A 14 12 2:39.8141 0:07.6793

14 12 Robinson Racing Developments M.Trimble/D.Ryan/
A.Fawcett/M.Craig Ford FPV F6 Typhoon A 19 3 2:39.9425 0:07.8077

15 4 Fire Power / Bendon N.Pretty/J.Richards/
S.Price Astra VXR Coupe C 17 2 2:41.3179 0:09.1831

16 91 Gary Deane Constructions Rob Rubis Subaru WRX Sti B 11 5 2:42.6934 0:10.5586

17 10 Bended Elbow D.Grant/M.Cini/M.Eddy BMW 130i C 14 1 2:43.1813 0:11.0465

18 27 Thrifty Car Rental A.Shephard/S.Briffa/
M.Bailey Mazda 3 MPS C 14 4 2:43.5551 0:11.4203

19 66 Lakeside Motorsport Park D.Cribbin/R.Hill/
P.Jenkins BF Falcon XR6 T D 15 1 2:44.8238 0:12.6890

20 99 Team Queensland Racing A.Letcher/D.Turner/
N.Callaghan BF Falcon XR6 T D 15 1 2:46.3499 0:14.2151

21 13 Osborne Motorsport C.Osborne/N.Bates/
J.Roecken Toyota Celica SX E 18 11 2:46.6032 0:14.4684

22 50 Mid-West Multimedia T.Keene/A.Bretherton/
T.Slade Mini Cooper S E 19 7 2:47.8924 0:15.7576

23 31 Osborne Motorsport C.Schembri/L.Mertens/
D.Mertens Toyota Celica SX E 18 12 2:50.7036 0:18.5688

24 14 Hankook Tyres/DBA P.Conroy/T.Conroy/
B.Hadley Honda Integra Type S E 19 5 2:50.8691 0:18.7343

25 6 Fire Power / Bendon L.Tander/L.Gray Astra Diesel CDTI Tu H 8 3 2:51.9128 0:19.7780

26 77 V8Racing.com R.Mork/R.Prince/
P.Vicary Honda Integra Type R E 14 2 2:52.1125 0:19.9777

27 72 Thrifty Car Rental H.Stig/A.Anderson/
D.Argiro Toyota Celica SX E 9 2 2:54.1622 0:22.0274

28 94 Aporscheapart R.Howe/P.Faulkner BF Falcon XR6 T D 11 3 2:55.0606 0:22.9258

29 76 Thomson Alfa Romeo K.Booker/R.Rinaldo/
D.Stone Alf Romeo 159 2.4 JT G 13 3 2:55.5902 0:23.4554

30 88 Jim Hunter's Suspension J.Hunter/M.Windsor Subaru RS Impreza F 12 5 2:57.1506 0:25.0158

31 11 Sherrin Motorsport I.Sherrin/S.Jones BMW 120i F 13 12 3:01.6396 0:29.5048

32 40 Dayco/Wefil Cooper/Nippon S.Smollen/P.Alexander/
P.Stubber/G.Mennell BMW 323i E 16 4 3:01.9383 0:29.8035


And yes for those wondering that is a real Stig in position 27 driving a Celica.

[Erki]

You do realise this event takes place in Australia?!!

What are you hinting here? That it's usual for aussies to start a race in dawn/early morning?


Timezone is Australian Eastern Standard Time. The event is being covered by Channel 9 to be shown at a later date. I'll try and get some footage for everyone to see.

Ray

Thanks, looking forward to it. :)

[raybak]

Here's a photo of Atko during qualifying, he's in the blue car.

[Erki]

I wonder why there's no GTs racing there. Would have been fun to see Ferraris and Porsches also doing the 12 hours. But no, I'm not whining, it looks pretty good as it is. :)

[raybak]

By the way, the Stig that is competing is a woman in an all girl team. There are 2 all girl teams in the event. Holden have entered a turbo diesel Astra with 4 girls driving.

Ray

[raybak]

The GT's had a separate race today, was won by Bryce Washington in a Gallardo GT3.

The GT's used to be included in the race until holden built the 427 Monaro and spoilt it for everyone.

Rumours that we will have a full GT championship next year running to GT3 rules.

Ray

[PatRedmond]

5:45 local time? Why so early? And can anyone tell me what time zone is it in? Too bad there's no TV coverage for it, would love to watch it live.

Being a 12 hour, that means it ENDS at 5:45 PM. Good time to see a winner cross the line and hand out prizes, no? ;)

[Mickey T]

Another bit of Bathurst 12 Hour rally news, Rick Bates qualified second.

Rick is the brother of Neal, the long-time Australian rallying servant of Toyota. Neal's also driving, but in a slower celica.

[Erki]

Being a 12 hour, that means it ENDS at 5:45 PM. Good time to see a winner cross the line and hand out prizes, no? ;)

Sebring 12 hours starts at 10am and runs into darkness. But I guess the organisers of both of the races know what they're doing. Kinda cool, even, starting the race early morning, I always like to watch the Bathurst 1000 warm-up and Porsche Cup races which also take place at something like 8am.

[Erki]

Race starts at 5:45am and live timing is available at http://www.bimf.com.au

Weird. I didn't find a link to live timing there. Or does it become available once the race has started?

edit:
Live Timing will be available for the WPS 12 Hour Race starting at 5.45am Sunday 8th April :rolleyes:

[Erki]

Live timing: http://www.natsoft.com.au/cgi-bin/results.cgi?08/04/2007.MOUN.R12

And the race is on! Atko already 4th. :bounce: Rick Bates is leading after the first lap while pole-sitter Morris is 17th. :s

[GlenW]

This site has live timing that refreshes.

http://www.bimf.com.au/live_results.asp

[Tumbo]

Atko up to first :D

[bda]

Hour five update

World Rally star Chris Atkinson is showing he’s just as competent on bitumen as he continues to hold down top spot for the Subaru WRX Sti team in the WPS 12-Hour Showroom Enduro.

Upon the completion of 110 laps, Atkinson is ahead of fellow Subaru team drivers Neil Crompton and Scott Nicholas.

Despite a fuel stop that pushed him back to fourth, Craig Baird continued his impressive on track performances in the BMW 335i, setting another quickest lap for the event (lap 105).

Baird pitted for a driver change on lap 109 handing driving duties back to Paul Morris to take up the challenge.

Officially there has been just two teams retired. The Falcon XR6 Turbo of Cribbin/Hill and Jenkins plus the Subaru WRX Sti of Deane/Rubis.

[bda]

Half-way mark - WPS 12-Hour Showroom Enduro

At the half-way mark Subaru continues to hold sway in the WPS 12-Hour Showroom Enduro as the trio of Chris Atkinson, Cody Crocker and Dean Herridge enjoy clear running on Bathurst’s 6.21 kilometre Mt Panorama circuit.

While maintaining a comfortable break ahead of Craig Baird/Paul Morris and Garry Holt, Baird is currently continuing his own charge aboard the highly competitive BMW 335i.

Crocker will need to stay on his game as the challenge continues to be mounted, while it’s Subaru further back in third with the teaming of Grant Denyer, Neil Crompton and Chris Alajajian completing the pace-setters on the lead lap.

Through their efforts Atkinson/Crocker/Herridge are also topping the sheets in the Sonax All-Wheel Drive Performance Class while Baird/Morris/Holt are doing likewise in the Penrite Rear Wheel Drive Performance Class.

There have been just three safety car periods deployed so far with the last one caused when the Toyota Celica all-girl team of Helen Stig, Amber Anderson and Danielle Argiro skidded into a sand trap.

[bda]

Hour nine update

Moving into the final quarter of the WPS 12-Hour Showroom Enduro, Subaru have reclaimed the race lead with another solid driving stint by World Rally ace Chris Atkinson.

Despite competing in just his first race at Bathurst’s famed Mt Panorama circuit, the Gold Coast campaigner looked more comfortable behind the wheel and pushed ahead of Gary Holt’s BMW 335i during the early stages of the ninth hour.

After one lap of battling with Holt, Atkinson had extended the lead out to more than 40 seconds by the 200-lap mark.

Further back there have been dramas for third placed Neil Crompton in the other Subaru WRX Sti entry who dropped back to sixth.

After initially suffering rear wheel bearing damage at turn two, the team pitted, refueled, did a pad change on the brakes and handed control over to Grant Denyer.

Unfortunately the wrong set of wheel nuts were placed on the car during the pit and was returned to pit lane to undertake repairs.

That’s allowed the Mitsubishi EVO of Bob Hughes to slot into third, Chris Pither in a BMW 335i is fourth and the BMW 130i driven by Shaun Juniper is fifth.

On lap 204, Bob Pearson brought out the sixth safety car after spinning and making contact with the wall past the Cutting, while placed fourth in his BMW 335i.

[Erki]

Race is over. #20 BMW Holt/Baird/Morris won. Atko/Herridge/Crocker 2nd! :champion: Atko's team was 1:08 from the winners. Still on the lead lap. :up: 3rd place Mitsu was already 4 laps down. Looks like it was a great race. :up:

[raybak]

Was a good race, there will be plenty of beers at the Knickerbocker hotel tonight.

Well done to all the rally guys, with Rick Bates also coming in 3rd and Neal Bates in 11th.

Ray

[gloomyDAY]

How about some footage for the American blokes? ;)

All I have to look forward to today is NASCAR....*sigh*

[raybak]

Wil be footage next weekend on Channel 9, i'll record some and put it up my my website.

Ray