THE atmosphere created by tens of thousands of passionate Supercars fans - it is one of the reasons drivers relish competing in the Bathurst 1000.
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But this year it will be different.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the crowd will be limited to just 4,000 people per day and they will be restricted to seating along Pit Straight, Murray's Corner and Hell Corner.
There will be no fans on the top of the Mount. There will be no camping. There will be no transporter parade or driver autograph sessions.
Though the drivers who form part of this year's field will be as hungry as ever to claim the chequered flag, they know the renowned Bathurst 1000 atmosphere won't be the same.
Some of those who will chase the Peter Brock Trophy offered their thoughts on the changes.
CAMERON WATERS
"It's definitely going to be weird, usually you roll into Bathurst and you can already feel the atmosphere and it builds to another level, but all that is going to be gone this year," Waters, who will steer one of the Tickford Racing Mustangs at the Mount, said.
"It's going to be a bit of an eerie feeling, but I think once we're in the race you're probably not going to realise it as much.
"At the end of the race it will be the same thing though, very weird, so I'm just very happy to still have a championship this year and still be able to race. Obviously it will still be on TV this year, but hopefully we can get the fans back as soon as we can."
JAMIE WHINCUP
"Half glass full, gee we are so happy we can go to Bathurst, go to the best race track in the country and go racing for the millions of viewers at home to be able to enjoy," the man who has won the Bathurst 1000 four times said.
"Of course glass half empty, we'd love to have fans and it won't be like what it normally is, but in this day and age we are just so grateful to have the opportunity.
"From late March that was the big question mark - if we can't get to Bathurst that's a disaster - so we're just so thankful to be able to go racing there."
BRYCE FULLWOOD
"It's going to be really hard this year not having all the spectators there, but one of the really cool things about Bathurst is just how everybody really gets around that event," the Walkinshaw Andretti United driver said.
"I think it's fair to say that even if you're not a motor racing fan, there are still a lot of people that turn the TV on to watch Bathurst. It's a massive event, it's really awesome, just the whole experience is really cool."
RICK KELLY
"It has been very different this year, there's no doubt, and that's going to be an even bigger effect at Bathurst," the driver of the #15 Ford Mustang said.
"This will be my 20th start and that's the big part of the race, the amount of fans everywhere, the drivers' parade, the track walk on the Wednesday.
"I've come to understand it's not just about watch the racing either.
"It's also understanding what the event and week means to people outside pit lane, the people that are camping in the mid-part of the track, the guys and girls across the top of the hill - it's a big deal for everyone, it's a big week for everyone."
WILL DAVISON
"It's going to be bizarre. It will lack atmosphere, but once you're in the car the intensity of driving around that place, I don't think we'll really notice anything," Davison, who will act as co-driver for Cameron Waters, said.
"For sure the build up to the race, the atmosphere around the pits and up the top of the mountain, it's going to feel very strange, but I think everyone is well in tune of what 2020 has thrown at everyone and we're just glad we'll be there.
"It will be bizarre not seeing it packed because that's what makes Bathurst what it is, the fans, the tradition of what the Mountain brings and the people who camp there and the atmosphere - that's something very special. It's going to be missed, but we're lucky to be able to compete still."
SHANE VAN GISBERGEN
"That's normally one of the coolest races with the big atmosphere and huge excitement and that's probably going to be lacking this year, it's going to be a bit weird I think," the Red Bull Racing star said.
"You don't hear the noise in the car but you certainly see all the colours and all the people there. You know when you get there in the morning and look out from the garage across to the hill, on the Sunday it's already filled with fans pretty early in the morning, certainly we'll notice them not being there."
NICK PERCAT
"I think it always is the holy grail, it's an amazing event and circuit and the whole town obviously gets so behind it," the Brad Jones Racing talent said.
"I'd imagine the locals will still be very supportive through the week and around town when we are having dinner and stuff like that, but it is going to be kind of an eerie feeling with no-one at the top of the mountain.
"I guess we get a little bit used to that at the Bathurst 12 Hour because the crowds are much, much lower than what we get at 1000. But you sort of accept that at the 12 Hour, whereas at the 1000 I think it will be an eerie feeling.
"It just sums up 2020 in my eyes. I don't think it takes away from whoever wins it or anything about that the whole history of Bathurst, it will just be one people look back on and say '2020, that was weird'."
CRAIG LOWNDES
"I think there's no doubt it will feel different, it is all that atmosphere that I really thrive on," the fan favourite said.
"I draw energy off the crowd and not having the amount of people we normally see there, not having the truck parade, driver parade and other things we normally have, that's disappointing in one respect because we really enjoy that side of it.
"I understand this year is a crazy year and we have to do these things to keep racing, which is what we all want to do."
