The time has come for the biggest race of the year, as the V8 Supercars carnival arrives for the Bathurst 1000
Every practice, qualifying and race is live on Fox Sports via the 24 hour Bathurst channel and Kayo
You can also follow through the Wide World of Sports Race Center and Live Blog, which will take you through the big Sunday race
Tickets for this year’s event are limited due to social distancing protocols implemented in response to the coronavirus pandemic For more ticketing information, click here
Scott McLaughlin has won the title of best driver of the peloton in recent years, Kiwi, 27, winner of the last three Supercars championships and defending Bathurst 1000 champion
However, already in the first practice session there was a slight wobble, his co-driver Tim Slade showing poor judgment towards Shane van Gisbergen’s Red Bull as he tried to maintain his position in a bend
Slade admitted he was wrong after cutting Red Bull and turning before heading to the pits without any major damage
These two legends of the sport have a combined total of 11 wins at Bathurst, both enjoying long stretches of domination in the V8 Supercars class
Although Lowndes is no longer a full-time pilot, few know every inch of Mount Panorama like him Add to that Whincup’s unconditional competitive advantage and the fact that the two veterans are one of the very few combinations to be have driven together before and you have all the elements for a winning team
Rounding out the favorites is Shane van Gisbergen and Garth Tander’s other Red Bull Holden
Tander returns to Mount Panorama in search of his fourth Bathurst crown, 20 years after his first in 2000
Van Gisbergen is still chasing his first Bathurst victory and will be hungrier than ever after finishing second last year for the second time in his career
However, van Gisbergen will already curse his luck after mingling with Slade in the first practice session of the 2020 Bathurst weekend
Last year was one of the most controversial races in history, with McLaughlin’s victory marred by slowing down tactics after the safety car intervened to give the Kiwi a shot at making it a stand without losing its position
This controversy rages on, with Erebus Motorsport co-owner Barry Ryan this week telling himself that McLaughlin and his team DJR Penske were not stripped of the title
This will no doubt motivate McLaughlin to prove he can do it again without the cloud of a cheat scandal
Meanwhile, rival drivers still burning at last year’s result will be urged to deny McLaughlin that legitimacy
V8 Supercars are famous for their combustible personalities and with the specter of last year’s racing still lingering, this makes for an exciting return to Mount Panorama for four great days ahead
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