WITH less than 40 days to go, campsite bookings suggest that this year’s Bathurst 1000 could result in the biggest-ever crowd in the event’s long history.
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According to Supercars, there are “only a handful” of campsites still available for the Great Race in October.
More than 6000 individual camp sites have been claimed by fans to date, the highest number in history, equating to in excess of 33,000 people staying on Mount Panorama.
With the strong camper presence, Supercars is quietly confident that the crowd figure could be broken after it came close in 2017.
The record camping figure comes after a new campsite, The Orchard, was made available for the first time this year.
It is also close to selling out.
Bathurst 1000 event manager Rachael White said she expects the remaining campsites on Mount Panorama to be sold in the coming days.
“We have been inundated with calls from fans wanting to claim one of the remaining sites we have available. They need to get in fast,” Ms White said.
“This event, is one of Australia’s greatest spectacles supported by some of the most passionate and loyal fans of any sporting code.
“As has been the case over the past few years, the sites at the top of Mount Panorama and the paddock area campground are extremely popular, taking less than a week to sell out.”
Bathurst Regional councillor Warren Aubin said the addition of the The Orchard was a very smart decision.
“Camping this year is becoming more of a norm with people when they come for the race,” he said.
“It is great to see that we open more camping and it fills out.”
Cr Aubin said Mount Panorama is “one of the best tracks” in the world, one that both Australian and international drivers aspire to race at, and spectators love the opportunity to see the action.
Being able to camp nearby only enriches the experience.
“We have four race meetings up there every year and Supercars are bringing the most people here and we are catering to that [with the campsites],” Cr Aubin said.
The Bathurst 1000 race will be held on Sunday, October 7, however the race festival will start with B-Rock Super Wednesday on October 3.
Tickets for the race event can be purchased via ticketek or through the Supercars website.