MOUNT PANORAMA RACETRACK NIGHT DRIVE MUSTANG GT DRIVING
NIGHT RACE TRACK DRIVE
Bathurst two hundred km northwest of Sydney. Place of the famous Mount Panorama Motor Racing Circuit. Hosts the Bathurst 1000 each October. The track is 6.213 km (3.861 mi) in length. Also hosts the Bathurst 12 Hour each February. The Bathurst Motor Festival every Easter. Accommodation was in Rydges, Mount Panorama beside the track. Residences and businesses adjoin the track. These may have no road access on race days.
MUSTANG GT NIGHT TRACK DRIVING
I did a few laps of the circuit after dark. First lap was clockwise. The opposite direction to normal race events. Very different. Not bothered with speeding over the posted limit of sixty km or following racing lines. Up Conrod Straight and turn right at Forrest's Elbow. A sharp turn and a very steep bend and twisty road to Skyline. Very dark. No track side lights. Very dark and enclosed feeling even with high beam headlights. Before descending through the cutting the city lights of Bathurst are seen twinkling in the far distance like star light. Not above but below because of the high road elevation. All the roadside very dark. Perhaps the roadside barriers preventing a wide spread of light from the headlights? Once on Pit Straight did a U turn and drove a few laps the normal direction. Very dark and unsettling experience. Driving onto Conrod Straight coming face on into Forrest's Elbow, dead in front was a large flash of white and red wall barrier then the long straight. All the while knowing Kangaroo's can hop across any time. As it is rural Australian countryside. I much preferred the racing direction of driving counter clockwise. This was much more flowing with less of a steep climb up the mountain after Conrod Straight in a clockwise lap.
In the daylight hours I drove many laps of the circuit in the mustang GT 6 speed manual V8. Twice asked if I could drive other enthusiasts around the track. Sure why not. Great experience.
Traveldriven
ENTER CLICK/TAP
BATHURST
DRIVING INTO MOUNT PANORAMA
DRIVING ALONG PIT STRAIGHT
MOUNT PANORAMA
MOUNT PANORAMA TRACK
NIGHT DRIVE
MOUNT PANORAMA TRACK NIGHT CLOCKWISE
