(Bathurst) Grid Lines....
14/11/2000 14:37 (V8 Wire - Jason Whittaker) - It’s finally here. And as the teams arrive, the fans set-up camp and the town readies itself for its biggest annual weekend, the Motorsport world is buzzing as to this week’s happenings in the small New South Wales town they call Bathurst. A Mt Panorama-flavoured edition of Gird Lines brings you the latest.
## The V8 Supercars’ mobile workshops rumbled into the rural Bathurst township early yesterday morning, congregating outside the town before the colourful transporters cavalcaded through the streets of Bathurst. A sure sign the long-awaited V8 circus has come to town!
The top ten driver pairings (as decided by Saturday morning’s qualifying shootout) will parade through Bathurst just before 6pm on Saturday night, supported by a giant street party on Kings Parade.
## Bathurst immortal Allan Moffat has been declared the “Grand Marshal” of this year’s FAI 1000. The four-time Bathurst champion will parade before the crowd in the Falcon GTHO he drove to victory in the Bathurst classic of 1970. It will be the first time Moffat has been behind the wheel of a race car since retirement in 1988.
However, for the Canadian-born legend, the pace may be a little slow for his liking. “I’d jump at the chance of being 30 years younger and going up against the current crop of drivers,” an evergreen Moffat said.
## The world’s fastest woman, land speed record holder Paula Elstrek, will also feature in the pre-race parade, aboard a Ford custom-built Mustang Utility. The supercharged Ute has been specially built by Ford for the Bathurst weekend.
"I have driven all types of race vehicles and I am expecting the Mustang Ute to be amongst the most challenging," Elstrek, who has been clocked at over 575km/hr, said. "Bathurst will be a double bonus for me: I'll be driving the Ford Mustang Ute at the greatest race in Australia.”
## Troops serving in the battle-scared, newly-independent province of East Timor won’t have to forego on one Australian tradition while on their tour of duty, with the FAI 1000 being beamed live into the Island via Australian Television.
"It is obvious that there are many V8 Supercar fans amongst the 1694 Australian military personnel currently serving in East Timor and we are delighted to be able to give them the opportunity to enjoy Australia’s greatest V8 Supercar race," AVESCO CEO, Wayne Cattach said.
The INTERFET Peacekeepers will be able to show their allegiances on the day, with a package of V8 Supercar merchandise having been sent to the Island recently.
## The support card for this year’s Bathurst carnival includes the best in Australian Motorsport – GT Production, Nation’s Cup and Formula Ford.
The three-hour GT Production car showdown on Saturday afternoon features plenty of V8 Supercar talent, including John Faulkner and John Bowe. The more powerful production machines, GTP Nation’s Cup, feature in their own final-round races on Saturday and Sunday.
## Young Formula Ford racer Owen Kelly will launch what he hopes will be a long and successful V8 Supercar career at Bathurst this week. Kelly will make his V8 Supercar debut with Paul Morris’ NEMO Racing team, driving a second Big Kev Commodore with Aaron McGill.
Kelly – younger brother of the man favoured to replace Craig Lowndes, Todd Kelly – has gained support from the Motorsport Management group.
"This involves a PR and marketing package for next season, and including Bathurst, integrated with my own Web Site,” Kelly said, who can be found online at owenkelly.com.au. “The package is worth $5,000 and will hopefully impress the V8 paddock and my sponsors.”
## Speaking of debutants, eleven drivers have chosen the daunting Mt Panorama circuit to make their V8 Supercar debut. They include Kelly, Aaron McGill, Ian Moncrieff, Rob Russell, Steve Coulter and Tim Sipp. BTCC racers Yvan Muller and Jason Plato will also drive a V8 competitively for the first time at Bathurst, while the new Team Kiwi outfit will debut Jason Richards and Angus Fogg.
## Brisbane-based Lites racer Craig Harris will attempt to bring those unable to be track-side a little closer to the action through the Triple M radio network. Harris will present daily reports from the Mountain to be aired on Triple M in Brisbane.
"We really wanted to give people in Brisbane a true taste of the excitement at Bathurst and reporting through Triple M is a great way to do this," Harris said. The rock-based, Australia-wide radio network is also supporting Harris and co-driver Steven Voight’s FAI 1000 campaign.
## Long-time publishers of the official Bathurst program, Chevron Publishing, had been dumped from the position in favour of the Rupert Murdoch-owned News Ltd’s magazine arm. The annual collectable, which most say doesn’t stack-up against the Chervon-produced guides in the past, will also cost more at eight dollars.
## What will keep the Shell Helix team fuelled during the gruelling Bathurst weekend? According to DJR’s Bathurst press kit, it’s offal – an incredible ten kilograms of kidneys, lambs liver and lambs brains.
Thankfully, 26 litres of fruit juice and 400 cans of soft drink will be on-hand to wash it all down.
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