cowraguardian.com.au The Cowra Guardian, Friday, October 11, 2013. 37 BATHURST 1000 THURSDAY, OCTOBER 10 0800 Top Gear On Track 0850 Dunlop Series practice 0945 Touring Car Masters practice 1020 V8 Supercars practice 1125 V8 Ute Series practice 1315 V8 Supercars practice (co-drivers only) 1415 HSV Time Trials 1440 Dunlop Series practice 1535 V8 Supercars practice 1640 Touring Car Masters practice 1715 V8 Ute Series practice FRIDAY, OCTOBER 11 0805 HSV Time Trials 0825 Touring Car Masters qualifying 0855 Dunlop Series qualifying 0940 V8 Supercars practice (co-drivers only) 1035 Carrera Cup practice 1105 V8 Supercars practice 1335 Dunlop Series race 1 1425 Touring Car Masters race 1 1500 V8 Supercars qualifying 1555 Carrera Cup practice 1630 V8 Ute Series qualifying SATURDAY, OCTOBER 12 0820 Carrera Cup qualifying 0855 Touring Car Masters race 2 0930 V8 Ute Series race 1 1005 V8 Supercars practice 1110 Carrera Cup race 1 1410 V8 Ute Series race 2 1455 Dunlop Series race 2 1545 Carrera Cup race 2 1625 Touring Car Masters race 3 1700 V8 Supercars Top 10 shootout SUNDAY, OCTOBER 13 0725 V8 Supercars warm-up 0800 V8 Ute Series race 3 0835 Carrera Cup race 3 1030 V8 Supercars Bathurst 1000 (161 laps) All times AEDST ON THE BOX Telecast times (check local guides): Friday, 1pm-4pm Saturday, noon-6pm Sunday, 7am-6pm THE SCHEDULE L ast time Nissan contested the Bathurst 1000, winning driver Jim Richards famously described the booing Mount Panorama fans as a “pack of arseholes”. Yet Richards’ co-driver in that rain-soaked triumph 21 years ago, five-time touring car champion Mark Skaife, reckons Nissan will be welcomed back to the Mount Panorama fold next week with open arms. Rarely do Holden and Ford fans see eye to eye in V8s, but they came together as one to vent at Skaife and Richards when the drivers were on the podium after their dominant Nissan, dubbed Godzilla, sealed back-to-back Bathurst crowns in 1992. Richards famously broke character with his Gentleman Jim nickname, and his frank reaction to the baying hordes is part of V8 folklore. These days Skaife can see the funny side of the incident as Nissan prepare to launch a renewed four-pronged attack on the Bathurst 1000. “I think they will be received very well,” Skaife said. “It was a different time and culture. The dominance of Godzilla was, at that time, very controversial and it wasn’t a Ford or Holden that had won the race. “There was quite a lot of animosity attached to that level of dominance. “Today’s sport is much more built around parity and specifications all manufacturers can achieve.” Skaife believes having the likes of popular Australian drivers Todd and Rick Kelly leading the Nissan charge will help the manufacturer – who returned to V8s along with Mercedes this year – gain acceptance from the Bathurst faithful, renowned for their love of the traditional Ford versus Holden rivalry. Nissan were no Bathurst blow- ins in the early 1990s. They had contested various categories at Mount Panorama since the 1960s. Indeed, a total of 37 different manufacturers have dabbled in the iconic Australian race. But it was sheer dominance of the Nissan Skyline, coupled with the controversial early finish of the race, that earned the Holden and Ford faithful’s ire 21 years ago. Atrocious conditions forced officials to call off the 1992 race with 18 laps left and award Skaife and Richards the win. Few could question the Nissan’s unrivalled speed – at one stage it drew away from Ford threat John Bowe by 15 seconds a lap. However, Holden and Ford fans still made their displeasure known when the pair reached the podium. Still, seven-time Bathurst champion Richards reckons he only had fond memories of his time at Nissan. “Nissan is pretty close to my heart. Their return has brought back some new enthusiasm for me watching the V8s,” he said. “They have been a breath of fresh air. Just Holden and Ford – that is boring to me. “With Nissan and Mercedes coming on board, I think it is the best thing that could have happened to the class. “I think it is the start of a fantastic era.” Coincidentally, Skaife played a major role in Nissan’s V8 return. He helped mastermind the Car of the Future specifications introduced this year that made V8 Supercars financially viable for more manufacturers. “The day Nissan signed up I went out to their head office and saw (Nissan Australia’s) Ian Moreillon, who was the key man behind their decision to come back into the sport, and said, ‘Hey, we’re back’,” Skaife said. “They had said they would never come back, but the world turns.” It took 70 staff and $16 million just to get the yet-to-be-released Nissan Altima road car onto the track for the season opener. “To put it in context, what they (the Nissan V8 team) have done, they have not even put the car on sale – it is just coming out to the market now,” Skaife said. It’s enough to warrant applause from the Bathurst faithful. – AAP Twenty-one years after Godzilla’s Bathurst victory was met with a chorus of boos from disgruntled Ford and Holden fans, Mercedes and Nissan can expect a much different reaction upon their return to Bathurst, writes Laine Clark. NISSAN GOES FROM J EERS TO CHEERS Living legends: From left, former Nissan drivers Jim Richards and Mark Skaife share a joke with Ford hero Dick Johnson. 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T y 1990s l ins in the ear rl w- o d e hen the pair r wn w kno ans still made their dis f a , Holden and er r, v e w Ho . p a la cars fin V8 Super oduced this y intr the Futur Car of He helped ma hed eac e spleasur d or d F aithful. f pplause f a It’s eno et no k mar le b y via nanciall t made ear tha y tions e specifica r mind the ster S S g – AAP thurst om the Ba fr rant ough to war ,” Skaife said. w w, o 7am-6pm , y Sunda noon-6pm , y da atur S 1pm-4pm , y rida F ): s guide 70 YOUNG ROAD COWRA • TEL: 6341 1711 • WILLY: 0417 256 483 TRUCKS • BUSES • CARS • BIKES • BOATS 1812246