RACE REPORT // 2010 BATHURST 12 HOUR

Paul Morris has survived a last-minute drama to steer the Eastern Creek International Karting BMW 335i to a second victory in the Armor All Bathurst 12 Hour race at Mount Panorama today.

Morris, sharing the car with owner Gary Holt and John Bowe, crossed the line at 6.30 pm after 202 laps, 1254.4 kms, to complete Australia’s longest motor race... [read more]

But in unpredictable Bathurst tradition, the competitors were denied a proper sprint finish and instead saw the yellow Lamborghini Gallardo safety car take them to within the last few hundred metres of the chequered flag.

A race not soon to be forgotten saw torrential rains, fog and even a tree falling on to the circuit. The sizable tree fell to the beginning of Conrod strait and took State Emergency Services 40 minutes to remove with it chainsaws, a crane and a truck before racing could be continued.

Actor Eric Bana’s hopes of a top result in the Armor All Bathurst 12 Hour race ended spectacularly when his car was destroyed in a heavy crash at Mount Panorama today.

Bana’s co-driver Peter Hill was at the wheel of the Globe/Westrac Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 10 when it stopped with an unknown problem on the climb out of the Cutting and was hit soon after by a Subaru Impreza driven by rally champion Dean Herridge.

Rod Salmon’s EVO X leading the pack.

The Evo’s dominating the production car race.

Fog setting in on top of the mountain.

Refuelling action in pit lane.

V8 Supercar driver Jason Bright in the Shelby Mustang at Brock’s Skyline.

For a look at more photos from the 201 Bathurst 12 Hour, click here

Photo/Editorial: Achilles Zstoli