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CANBERRA has the Summernats, and now Bathurst is set to play host to its own tyre-smoking, engine-thumping motor festival.
The Valvoline Bathurst Autofest is coming to Mount Panorama in early 2012, with organiser Les Adams from the Springnats Group of Companies saying it has been pencilled in for mid-March.
Springnats held their first festival in Shepparton 18 years ago and have since expanded to run annual events in Murray Bridge, Corowa and Mount Gambier.
Mr Adams said he approached Bathurst Regional Council about bringing the event to the city to capitalise on the lure of Mount Panorama.
“Council has been great to work with, they’ve been very supportive of the whole procedure,” he said.
“The Valvoline Bathurst Autofest is mainly catering for people from Bathurst and that region, but I know we have a lot of people from across NSW, South Australia and Victoria who come to our events who will also be going to Bathurst.
“Most of them don’t yet know that we’re starting the new event, but those who do know that I’ve spoken to just can’t believe we’ve got the opportunity to have an event at Mount Panorama.
“The whole Bathurst area is fantastic and Mount Panorama is just the icon of Australian motorsport. We can just see this type of event really working up there.”
Mr Adams said Springnats events were “all about enjoying your car”.
He said all their events were alcohol-free in the general admission areas to create a family-friendly atmosphere and to avoid the trouble that followed other street machine festivals.
“It’s basically a modified car event but, really, all car enthusiasts are welcome – whether you have a retro car, street machine or imported car,” he said.
The two-day festival will include a show ‘n’ shine in the pits garages, parade laps each day, the ever-popular burnout competitions and a “dyno” competition where cars are hooked up to a dynamometer to measure how many horsepower they produce.
Mr Adams said he would rate the first Bathurst event a success if they could attract 200 cars and 5000 spectators, though the Springnats record is 1200 cars and 62,000 spectators at the Shepparton festival in 2002.
Mayor Paul Toole welcomed the new event.
“Council is always looking to attract new events to our region and we are very happy to partner with Springnats for this exciting new festival,” he said.
“This will be a different kind of event for the mountain and I’m sure it will prove to be very popular.”
The dates and program for the Valvoline Bathurst Autofest will be confirmed in the coming weeks.
More information will be available at the Autofest website: www.autofest.com.au.