CHALLENGE Bathurst organisers have confirmed their return to Mount Panorama next year, following another successful instalment of the event.
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The 2019 Challenge Bathurst will be held between November 28 and December 1 next year, once again split between two days of sprint competition and two days of regularity.
The event will maintain its philosophy of making meaningful track time at Mount Panorama as open and as affordable as possible for those who otherwise may never have the opportunity.
This year more than 400 competitors took to the circuit across the four days.
Following Christopher Mies’ well-publicised attack at the outright Mount Panorama lap record, event organisers say they expect more to take the additional challenge of re-setting the Bathurst benchmark.
“One of the things the Audi Customer Sport Racing team suggested was that they were able to go after their sub two-minute lap time because the earlier sessions ran uninterrupted,” event director James O’Brien said.
READ MORE: Mies smashes Mount Panorama lap record
“They were able to complete their 12 Hour testing program early and as such, were able to go and quite literally live the ideals on which Challenge Bathurst is based – challenging the mountain in exciting cars.
“Across both the sprint and regularity competitions we saw PBs across the board.”
Mies’ stunning 1:59.2 lap topped the times, ahead of fellow noted racers Dean Canto (Lamborghini) and Yasser Shahin (Mercedes Benz AMG GT3).
Mies team-mate Garth Tander also broke the outright lap record, but couldn’t quite break the two minute barrier during his time behind the wheel of their Audi R8 LMS.
A host of major GT3 teams and drivers utilised the event as preparation for the Bathurst 12 Hour, while Production Car competitors did the same.
Meanwhile, fine conditions and ample track time saw regularity competitors set personal best lap times across the two-days of competition against the clock on Saturday and Sunday.
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Car enthusiast David McCowen took part in Challenge Bathurst for the third time in his Renault Megane RS.
“Challenge Bathurst is a brilliant event,” he said.
“You don’t need to be a professional driver with a race car to come and have a go – the Regularity weekend gives enthusiasts a chance to tackle the Mountain.
“I had an unforgettable time this year, taking on the track with car loving mates and shaving two seconds off my personal best time.
“Bring on Challenge Bathurst 2019!”
