A LOT has changed since Jerry Trevor-Jones jumped in his Mini Cooper and ripped around Mount Panorama in the first ever Bathurst 500.
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Including the metric system.
And 60 years later, the now Bathurst 1000 is gearing up for a big day, with the anniversary bringing an influx of memories back to Mr Trevor-Jones.
![Bathurst resident Jerry Trevor-Jones will be watching the Bathurst 1000 on October 8, 2023, reminiscing on his time competing in the first ever event 60 years ago. Picture by James Arrow Bathurst resident Jerry Trevor-Jones will be watching the Bathurst 1000 on October 8, 2023, reminiscing on his time competing in the first ever event 60 years ago. Picture by James Arrow](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/132219470/2ca874de-8a0c-4651-ac6e-b6f31666eaa4.jpg/r0_0_5472_3648_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
After leaving school in 1952, a young Mr Trevor-Jones applied to do his national service, as most young men did at that time.
And given his love of aviation, he applied to join the air force.
However, when it was discovered he was colourblind he went to plan 'B', his second love, a love of motorsport.
"I did the medical and they found I was colourblind, which was a no-no in those days," Mr Trevor-Jones said.
"So I went to work with Barry Gurdon [Gurdon Motors] as a salesman and it went from there."
Mr Trevor-Jones still follows motor racing quite closely, and looking back at the sport over the past 60 years he said a lot has changed.
When he first drove around Mount Panorama for 500 miles, in 1963 and again in 1964, it wasn't just navigating the tight turns and steep hills of the track - which was all dirt at the time.
![Bathurst resident Jerry Trevor-Jones reflects on how the Bathurst 1000 has changed since driving in the first event 60 years ago. Picture by James Arrow Bathurst resident Jerry Trevor-Jones reflects on how the Bathurst 1000 has changed since driving in the first event 60 years ago. Picture by James Arrow](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/132219470/6e48cdfd-30d3-47cf-a115-43788ffc047d.jpg/r0_0_5472_3648_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
The drivers had to dodge potholes, dodge other cars and avoid going off the edge, as the few guard rails the track did have were only wooden fences.
"They didn't stop much," Mr Trevor-Jones said, laughing.
"It's a different ball game all together now.
"Back in those days, when you raced there were no safety cars, so if somebody pranged you'd just have to go around them.
"Then you had to dodge the tow truck as well, because he went around to pick them up and get them out of the way."
Since the inception of the race, the condition of the track at Mount Panorama has improved significantly.
As has the safety standards.
And the event has grown from being a bit of fun on the weekends, to one of the most prestigious motorsport races in the world.
This is something that Mr Trevor-Jones believes no one expected to happen, when the race was first introduced to the region.
![Bathurst resident Jerry Trevor-Jones reflects on how the Bathurst 1000 has changed since driving in the first event 60 years ago. Picture by James Arrow Bathurst resident Jerry Trevor-Jones reflects on how the Bathurst 1000 has changed since driving in the first event 60 years ago. Picture by James Arrow](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/132219470/e9d1a20d-c106-45cb-a38d-01532580ef5c.jpg/r0_0_5472_3648_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Instead of competing in a car that was fresh off the showroom floor, with no modifications allowed, today's drivers are in specifically designed cars, made to zoom around the track at incredible speeds.
"The cars [back then] came off the showroom floor, but apart from having them running properly you weren't allowed to do anything with them," Mr Trevor-Jones said.
"If you finished in the placings, the cars were dismantled and if there were any discrepancies you were disqualified.
"It was all about the price of the car and you were divided into categories according to what the car cost.
"The scene has changed over time and now they're proper racing cars that compete, whereas in those days you drove the cars to the track and you drove them home afterwards."
![Bathurst resident Jerry Trevor-Jones reflects on how the Bathurst 1000 has changed since driving in the first event 60 years ago. Picture by James Arrow Bathurst resident Jerry Trevor-Jones reflects on how the Bathurst 1000 has changed since driving in the first event 60 years ago. Picture by James Arrow](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/132219470/7879f14f-eea7-4128-bae7-157ace4fe417.jpg/r0_0_5472_3648_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
On Sunday, October 8, 2023, Mr Trevor-Jones will be watching on as the running of the 60th Bathurst 1000 takes place.
Reminiscing on the fun times he had and how much the sport has changed over six decades.
"It brings back a lot of memories, you made friends for life competing every second weekend with people who you knew," he said.
The 2023 Bathurst 1000 festivities will began on Wednesday, October 4, with the annual Transporter and Driver Parade as the teams made their way through Bathurst and into the city's centre.
While there are plenty of off-track events scheduled to take place, the main attraction - what everyone's at Mount Panorama for - will get underway just after 11am on Sunday, October 8, when they wave the green flag for the 60th Bathurst 1000.
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