YESTERDAY’S Liqui-Moly Bathurst 12 Hour was not only a display of international motor sport, it was also a great family-friendly destination.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Families travelled from all across the country to experience the atmosphere.
The Mykytenko family, who moved to Australia from the Ukraine in recent years, came to Bathurst from Lane Cove in Sydney.
Vitalii brought along his wife Hanna and son Vitalii Junior, 11, for their first experience of live motor racing.
“We just came to visit because we have never seen racing before,” he said.
Young Vitalii has aspirations of being a driver one day, so seeing some of the world’s most powerful vehicles showcase their sheer force on the iconic Bathurst track was something he didn’t want to miss.
“He wants to be a racer,” Mrs Mykytenko said.
“He has been talking about this for a few years.”
The family said Bathurst had been very welcoming to them and one day they would like to come back to see the Bathurst 1000.
Neil Dick, his son Cameron and a family friend arrived in town on Thursday after travelling all the way from Ballarat, Victoria.
Mr Dick has been a motor sport fan for more than 30 years and has visited Mount Panorama before, but this trip was his first time seeing the circuit host a major race.
“I’d like to see the Bentleys [win], but my son is supporting Nissan,” Mr Dick said.
“As long as it’s a good race, it doesn’t matter [which team wins].”
The Mykytenko and Dick families were part of the record-breaking 37,079 people who filled the Mount Panorama precinct for the 12 Hour – a 14 per cent increase on 2015.