TWO proposals are the clear frontrunners in the race to become the fifth and final major motor sport event at Mount Panorama.
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Last week, Bathurst Regional Council heard the final pitch of the third group still in the running to host the event.
Councillor Warren Aubin said that, after hearing all of the pitches, it was clear in his mind that councillors would be choosing between two proposals.
"I was very impressed with two out of the three proposals. The other probably didn't come up to scratch with the other two," he said.
"The two that I am looking at are exceptional and they are different to what we already have up there."
There were initially six expressions of interest received for the fifth event, with three later shortlisted.
They were Australian Racing Group/CAMS, Mountain Motorsports and Supercars, the latter of which already runs two events at the circuit.
Each one had to meet with council over the past month to provide more detail about their initial proposals.
The next step is for council to review the three applications again, along with additional information that has been requested.
"We're even going into detail with race programs. That hasn't been done yet, but we want to look at what they're planning to do," Cr Aubin said.
As for when a decision will be made, he anticipates it will be within the next four to six weeks, in an effort to give the eventual organiser the opportunity to hold the inaugural event in 2020.
"Two of the three groups that have made proposals want to run the event next year and they will need 12 months or so of planning to do that," he said.
The two events Cr Aubin believes are still in contention have been proposed to be held in September and December respectively.
It is understood that holding the event in the second half of the year would give international drivers, particularly European ones, the opportunity to participate as their normal race seasons will have finished.
Cr Aubin said that, if either one of the two events he is considering is chosen, Bathurst will have a sustainable event for at least five years, but likely longer.
As for the events that are unsuccessful in their bid for the final spot on the Mount Panorama circuit, there are still opportunities for them to be held in Bathurst once the second circuit is built.
"That's the good thing about getting expressions of interest up at the Mount, because then we have a list to go to when we get the second circuit," Cr Aubin said.