Record prize for record race at Bathurst
28/9/2000 4:52 (V8 Wire - Jason Whittaker) - Championship aspirant V8 Supercar teams may been rethinking any planned policy of conservatism at Bathurst this year, after it was announced a record prize purse will go to anyone who can break the long-standing race record.
Race sponsor FAI Insurance is offering a cool $200,000 – double that which was on offer last year – for the team that can better Mark Skaife and Jim Richards’ 1991 mark of 6 hours, 19 minutes and 14.8 seconds over the gruelling 1000km distance.
FAI Managing Director, Stuart Korchinski, says the incentive will push teams to boundaries they wouldn’t otherwise be pushed.
“This bonus is sure to push the drivers beyond their limits,” Korchinski said. “It’s not everyday that a race driver can have a crack at picking up $200,000 for competing in a sport they love.”
“We are really excited to be the first to offer such a prestigious prize to an Australian event that deserves so much support and recognition. We are always looking for ways to go that extra step. It’s about a constant challenge to do better. To make what is good, great and what is great, extraordinary. I think the $200,000 incentive is a great start to achieving this objective,” he said.
Organisers are expecting record crowds when the V8 Supercars shake the Mountain November 16-19.
| |
