2013 Bathurst 1000 tips n tricks?

The Yeti · 27-08-2013, 12:21 PM

well what can I say, my 12yo son is dead keen on going to Bathrust (if you know my opinions on the current format you will know that while I like the new inclusions I'm far from happy)

My dad took me for the 1st time when I was 12 and he does watch the Sunday religiously every year, so I figure if my boy wants to go to Bathrust its my duty as a good dad to take him.

I'm thinking we might just do the Saturday this year and watch Sunday in the comfort of the shed on the projector.

I've looked online and I can't seem to find anywear I can just buy tickets for Saturday, does anyone know if Saturday only will be available at the gate on the day?

I'd also like to get pit Paddock access, and I can see this is availabile but it seems only as a 4 day or weekend pass, not Saturday only

Does anyone have any ideas?

Bearman · 27-08-2013, 12:45 PM

A great rite of passage for any young man.

When I was 12 I nagged my Dad to take me. He was going there on a road trip with his mates and (understandably) didn't want me along!!

When he got back I asked him how it was and he said he and his mates spent the whole time digging the Fairlane out of the mud and keeping an eye out for the drunken idiots looking to cause mayhem. The year was 1974.

I finally made it there in 2005. Had a great time.

Your lad will love it!!

The Yeti · 27-08-2013, 01:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bearman

A great rite of passage for any young man.

When I was 12 I nagged my Dad to take me. He was going there on a road trip with his mates and (understandably) didn't want me along!!

When he got back I asked him how it was and he said he and his mates spent the whole time digging the Fairlane out of the mud and keeping an eye out for the drunken idiots looking to cause mayhem. The year was 1974.

I finally made it there in 2005. Had a great time.

Your lad will love it!!

yea, my 1st year was 84, it was a fantastic experiance, just me and dad (did the safe Hell Corner thing) now my dad has gone I still look back fondly on those Dad & I only days, and I think the fact that Lach now wants to do the exact same thing with me makes me think it would be wrong not to.

I'm thinking just the 2 of us on Saturday for the support races and the shoot out, then we will have a BBQ at home and watch the big race on the projector in the shed with a few friends

FlipXW · 27-08-2013, 01:05 PM

You can only get a 4 day, 2 day(sat sun) or 1 day(sun) pass. Or this is how it has been the last 15 or so years I've been going. Best bet would be to get the 2 day pass then get any money you can for them on sat afternoon before you leave.

The Yeti · 27-08-2013, 01:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FlipXW

You can only get a 4 day, 2 day(sat sun) or 1 day(sun) pass. Or this is how it has been the last 15 or so years I've been going. The best bet would be to get the 2 day pass then get any money you can for them on sat afternoon before you leave.

I've never done just the Saturday, but thought you could,

Bugga

**Full Noise** · 27-08-2013, 01:08 PM

Just keep in mind that they have a limit for alcohol consumption on the mountain. One slab per person per day. As this is highly unreasonable, you might need to sink a few before you turn up.

Seriously though, your young fella will have this burned into his memory. I wish I’d have been there when I was 12.

ebv8 · 27-08-2013, 01:29 PM

i normally went up sat only and watched at home sunday, you can sell the ticket back at the ticket booth saturday afternoon but if you wait till the top 10 shootout you will line up for ages so most people don't bother.
you can only take alcohol in if you are camping not as a GA

deesun · 28-08-2013, 12:15 AM

A fair rort I reckon. They realised that lots come up for the Sat and home for Sun in the comfort of the loungeroom so you can only buy a 2 day pass. Then in the arvo as ebv8 says return it to ticket box and get refund on Sunday half. Some cant be bothered so organisers get money for nothing and I suppose its added to the head count even if you arent there.

Kevxr8Leexr6 · 28-08-2013, 05:47 AM

Good dad you are to have the time to be together . Unless they change the format it is still a 2 day pass and cash in for the sunday if not attending. is a rort unfortunately.

ebv8 · 28-08-2013, 09:17 AM

another tip as such, we always waited till just before the top 10 shootout to go to the top of the mountain but we que up for the bus for ages and have to hide our beers, this year we are hitting the top of the track early in the morning when drinking is not so important and will be down the bottom the whole afternoon.
up top the bars are gated so no alcohol outside the small gated areas, down the bottom it seems you can drink anywhere.
also if you know a camper at the top get them to take your booze in, the 1 case limit seems to be 1 case per person per entry but you can leave again and come back with another 1 case per person....i think 4 of us last year we only did 2x 30 packs for 3 days and we still had beer left over
but we all got sick from smoke poisening (i think) from camping in the chase camp ground that filled with this smoke for 3 days straight
got a caravan with a/c this year so i guess we can sleep easier

but if your going with your young son you won't be worried about drinking and the loonies won't bother you during the day unless you go with your 16y/o daughter.

get there early on sat to get a decent parking spot (before 8am) and don't park on a grass hill in the rain and don't park near a main dirt road access unless you want rocks and mud hitting your car

other than that enjoy

The Yeti · 28-08-2013, 11:43 AM

na it'll just be the boy n I (although my Mrs might have somthing to say about that as we went every year Until my son was born and she really enjoyed it)

I'm starting to wonder if a 2 day thing is what I have to by I might do the 2 days, the screens at the bottom of the hill used to be really good so we wont miss any thing, its really only the weather that poses a problem and the boy will just have to take some concreate and harden up if its a problem

Can you still just camp at the park down in town or do you need to book that now? in the old days it was just an unofficial camping area and was pretty tame at night, I'm thinking I might leave my company car at home and take the wifes territory and the boy and I can sleep in that

**buggerlugs** · 28-08-2013, 05:48 PM

It's way way tamer at the top these days as well. Families and police everywhere..........

deesun · 29-08-2013, 01:18 AM

Nowadays racing starts at about 8am sat and top 10 not till about 4pm. Bus up top starts at 7am and is $5 return, last down about 5pm. Food is as per the normal rubbish you get at any sporting event and isnt cheap so theres a way to save some if you can take your own. Plenty of food places but at busy times plenty of waiting. They only look for alcahol in your bags unlike some places which dont allow open drink bottles. If I remember correctly wristbands are only given out at main entry so you have to go in that way, after that enter at any gate. Plenty of reserving your plot via a blue tarp goes on these days. Put tarp down, leave and return the next day and believe it or not race fans will generally respect your plot, but not all. Even leave your chairs( not your best ones) and zippy tie them to the fence if you get a spot there and they will still be there too, generally. No cover has been added in the last 12 years, take sunscreen, raingear, etc. It will be cold when you get there in the morning, it may get stinking hot during the day and around 3pm cold again. I am not sure about the unofficial camping down town, someone else may be able to answer that one. keep your ear on here you may find someone who has spare space at their camp site, though unlikely. Above all, have a great time.

Kevxr8Leexr6 · 29-08-2013, 05:31 AM

Tent city is located in procter park soccer fields. cnr of gormans hill rd and alpha st. tents , showers toilets and lighting, just need your sleeping bags and pillows.

the cricket ground on the Sydney rd near the information centre is free

the showground opposite may charge an entry fee to camp there this year but plenty of room round the outer trotting track.

near everything else is booked solid for years in advance and dear as .

Yeti. im about 7mins from the track , if you cant get in when the day gets closer. im on half an acre and your welcome to camp here.

wrongwaynorris · 29-08-2013, 05:36 AM

This will be my 37th year in a row , we have a compound ( 12 ajoined campsites , a marquee , portaloo, TV , 300 watt sound system and I kid you not even the kitchen sink ) in the paddock area just inside Caltex Chase , feel free to drop in and have a sherbet with us M8 . P.M. me for my contact details .

**buggerlugs** · 29-08-2013, 07:16 AM

^^^^^^^^ Now there is two great offers...........

The Yeti · 29-08-2013, 09:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by buggerlugs

^^^^^^^^ Now there is two great offers...........

Your telling me, I am humbled by how generous the people on this forum can be

**redxm** · 29-08-2013, 07:02 PM

If you end up camping at the track, bring half a dozen extension cords and an electric blanket.
While a bottle of rum might keep you warm, the young fella and the mrs will feel the cold.
And thongs. The dunnys and showers are a lot better than they used to be, but just sayin'

The Yeti · 10-10-2013, 07:59 AM

Time for an update

We're now heading out on Sunday and will watch the big race there

To say the young bloke is excited is an under statement

**MercurySilver** · 10-10-2013, 12:57 PM

you know....ive never been to the mountain
should really go one year

but a big screen a loaded fridge and the toilet 30 steps away seems more comfy

hope you nad the lad have a great time yeti
imagine being 12 again and knowing you are off to the mountain!
youd be loving life

Fordman · 10-10-2013, 01:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MercurySilver

you know....ive never been to the mountain
should really go one year

but a big screen a loaded fridge and the toilet 30 steps away seems more comfy

hope you nad the lad have a great time yeti
imagine being 12 again and knowing you are off to the mountain!
youd be loving life

If you sit at turn 1 you get a big screen, a toilet 30 steps away.....but you have to pay a fortune for drinks!

ebv8 · 10-10-2013, 01:15 PM

take a poncho, its going to rain and its going to get cold later in the day, i'm going for 3 days and looks like i'll need to prepare for max of 27 deg down to 0 deg

by the way, rain just makes the racing better it doesn't take away from the enjoyment at all and usually never rains for long periods so you can dry out.

JC · 10-10-2013, 01:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MercurySilver

you know....ive never been to the mountain
should really go one year

but a big screen a loaded fridge and the toilet 30 steps away seems more comfy

hope you nad the lad have a great time yeti
imagine being 12 again and knowing you are off to the mountain!
youd be loving life

I reckon it's one of those things you gotta do at some stage. I went regularly between 1986 and 1994 (missed 93, I think). I was there in '92 in the rain shortened race, in my nissan T shirt with all the yobbos baying for blood. My Yokohama jacket zipped up kept me safe.

Went back in 94 to watch a young Craig someone chase Bowe for lap after lap at the end, but not get past. Wasn't a DJR fan back then, and kind of followed drivers not teams, but I was cheering for Lowndes (who doesn't go for the underdog!).

We also got molotov cocktailed on the way up the mopuntain in 94, so that's the last time we've been back - a fire bomb thrown in front of your car is not a nice expereince. I drove over the flames and we were OK - luckily. Had the straight LPG XE I6 auto back then - might have been a different story had it been on petrol?

My boys are 10, 10 & 8 - I will take them to the mountain (Hell corner and Caltex chase I reckon) in 2015 when the youngest is 10.

The Yeti · 10-10-2013, 01:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MercurySilver

you know....ive never been to the mountain
should really go one year

but a big screen a loaded fridge and the toilet 30 steps away seems more comfy

hope you nad the lad have a great time yeti
imagine being 12 again and knowing you are off to the mountain!
youd be loving life

I'm hearing you, and that's how I've done it the last few years but I remember when I was 12 in the passenger seat of dads XC, leaving home at stupid o'clock, dad being a tight **** packed sausage sandwiches for breakfast, and ham cheese and tomato sangers for lunch

And you know what there some of the best memory's of my child hood

The Yeti · 14-10-2013, 11:06 AM

Man what a fantastic day

We headed out from home a bit before 6 yesterday morning, and my son was like a kid waiting for Christmas morning, he didn't shut up the entire trip, as we came over the hill in to Bathurst his eyes were like dinner plates as he saw the "Mount Panorama" in white writing in the distance.

I had managed to get passes from a friend so we had VIP parking about 100m from the gate and we got to the hill near the main grandstand just as the flag dropped for the utes.

we walked up and down pit straight for the utes and the Carrera Cup and settled in on Hell corner for the start of the main race. This kid was in total sensory overload as the ZH shot up pit straight and into a few helli's and from then on his eyes never left the track. We wtached the start and a few laps from there then headed in to the pits, and up to the FPV pit.

the entier day this kid was a little chatter box of questions, talking to any one inside a garage that would make eye contact with him

the end result was amazing I think I almost needed a defibrulator on the last lap when Wincup made his brake,

We got a little too much sun but that really is our only complaint, the organisation now is so much better than it was last time I went, and the introduction of Nissan and Benz IMHO has made the race better

Loved it will definatly be back.

Bearman · 14-10-2013, 12:00 PM

Excellent!! Sounds like you and your lad had a great time. Your lad will never forget that day and will always treasure the experience he had with his Dad!! Very well done.

I'm planning on attending next year with a crew. 2005 was my one and only visit and it's time to do it again !!

**redxm** · 14-10-2013, 05:28 PM

Good fun ain't it!

menil · 14-10-2013, 05:59 PM

I am hoping to go again one day ,the last time I went an XY won.Went up with a mate in a pacer so we were hoping for a Valiant win.

sgt_doofey · 15-10-2013, 08:51 PM

It was a great day. I take it the dirt and dust factor was a lot better down the bottom of the track compared to up the top? We got covered in it with the wind up there in McPhillamy.

ebv8 · 15-10-2013, 09:08 PM

nope, wind and dust was just as bad at hell corner, mini tornados where taking rubbish up in front of the big screen. i had to lose my hat and deal with the sunburn.
we also camped in the chase and loads of tents and gazebos went flying
thinking about camping up top next year if we can get a spot as the smoke in the chase camp site was terrible and made sleeping almost impossible even in our 17ft van.