The first few 12 Hours drew few fans to the Mount, barely rated a mention in the mainstream media and live coverage was barely existent.

But while the Bathurst 1000 remains the main event on the Australian motor racing calendar, the 12 Hour has grown from a precocious toddler into a bold and brash teenager.

And adulthood is just around the corner.

The weekend’s 12 Hour continued the outstanding development of this new event in recent years, drawing strong crowds, strong sponsor support, strong interest and many of the best drivers from both Australia and overseas – not to mention record lap times.

And the continued success of the 12 Hour has plenty of motor racing experts just wondering if – or when – the new generation of racing might become the new head of this family business.

But whatever the future holds for the 12 Hour and Bathurst 1000, the broader Bathurst community is sure to be the winner.

Having one top-line racing event on Mount Panorama each year brings in millions of dollars to the local economy and immeasurable exposure for the region.

Having two such events only boosts all those benefits.

Bathurst Regional Council has invested heavily in Mount Panorama over the years, and not always with the full support of the community.

But every dollar spent on the Mount has been returned to our community many times over and every future dollar will be money well invested.

Because when it comes to Mount Panorama, there can never be too many jewels in the crown.