BUMPER crowds, full camp sites, viewers from 160 countries and a record number of safety car periods defined this year’s Liqui-Moly Bathurst 12 Hour.

The event lived up to its international reputation with 18 teams from 15 countries competing before Florian Strauss, Katsumasa Chiyo and Wolfgang Reip took line honours in their #35 Nismo Athlete Global Team Nissan GT-R Nismo GT3 after a gruelling day at the track.     

The action-packed race had a record-breaking 20 safety cars, with 73 laps under safety conditions.

Race promoter James O’Brien said crowd numbers were significantly up on last year – an indication of the event’s popularity.

Over the three-day event, 32,297 people came through the gates, a 23.6 per cent increase on the 26,133 people last year, and a whopping 43.8 per cent on the 22,453 in 2013.

“The campground has sold out for the first time, so we had to open up another site,” Mr O’Brien said of the 1800 campsites booked out for the event.

“All the markers show the growth [of the 12 Hour].”

Not only was the 12 Hour huge for Bathurst, but international interest in the race is growing.

On Twitter, #B12hr was trending second in Australia, and fifth in the UK for most of yesterday.

Also, more than 55,000 individual users, from 162 countries, logged onto www.bathurst12hour.com.au to watch live coverage of the 12 Hour.

The action was also broadcast live on the Seven Network for the duration of the race.

“This is unprecedented to have 12 hours of live telecast for the 12 Hour races,” Mr O’Brien said.

On track action was hot, and carnage began just 19 minutes into the endurance event when the #42 BMW M3 entry driven by Anthony Gilbertson struck a kangaroo on the exit of Forrests Elbow.

The incident was the day’s first yellow flag, and the BMW was left with heavy damage to the front of the car after it rolled several hundred metres down Conrod Straight against the outside wall.

Mr Gilbertson was transported to Bathurst hospital for assessment, but released later in the day.

Bathurst councillor Warren Aubin said crowd numbers, those logging in for live coverage and trending on Twitter all help to grow the reputation of the 12 Hour.