A FULL crowd is on the cards for the Bathurst 1000 after the easing of COVID-19 restrictions.
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The event, which was delayed, will be held from November 30 to December 5 at Mount Panorama and is combining with the Bathurst International.
Last year's Great Race was severely restricted in the number of spectators that were permitted, but according to mayor Ian North, Supercars is planning for its usual crowd in a few weeks.
"We're looking to have a full crowd. We've always hoped that could be the thing," he said.
"The public health order that's come in on Monday talks about one person per two square metres, so in essence if [Supercars] can achieve that, they can have normal crowd situations.
"We're extremely lucky at Mount Panorama that we have so many viewing areas and people can spread around, so as long as they adhere to public health orders, they can run a crowd at Mount Panorama, and, to me, it would be near full."
Supercars has not explicitly stated the planned crowd capacity, but in a recent article about camping said the event would be "'Bathurst as normal' with camping facilities, grandstands and viewing areas open".
Trackside tickets are available via the Supercars website and state that patrons can "make the trek up the Mountain for viewing across Brock's Skyline or Forrest's Elbow", areas which were off-limits last year.
Cr North said the possibility of usual crowd numbers was good news for Bathurst.
"It's wonderful for the city and it's also wonderful for regional NSW ... these big events Bathurst brings in, they bring in people that visit our region for the race, but they also look at what's here in Bathurst and they pass through these other towns and stay there as well," he said.
"What's really good is Bathurst can help the region to open up and help our businesses out by getting foot traffic in town and people into shops."
Bathurst Regional Council has also planned a suite of off-track activities for residents and visitors, with usual attractions like the Saturday Street Fair and the Legends at the Museum dinner back on the program.
With unvaccinated people not getting their freedoms back until December 15, anyone who visits for the Bathurst 1000 will have to be doubled vaccinated.
That gives Cr North confidence that the event will be as safe as it can be.
"Knowing that people have got the double vaccination is definitely a welcome bonus and makes you feel a lot safer, but we also cannot drop our guard," he said.
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