Bathurst at Bowden's 2011

20 October 2011 

This whole event started from a casual conversation with Dad about getting an aerial in the shed to watch a few of the races from in the shed, for us it was something amazingly fantastic to watch the racing amongst the cars, sharing two of our biggest passions. Then I thought how about we add our third passion and share it with a few devout enthusiasts, asked Dad about it and he was stoked, thought it was a great idea. From this the idea began.

Screen was big enough, Darren got that excited he broke into a "Saturday Night Fever" dance.

I did not mention to dad exactly what I was planning, other than it would be a screen and some seating with a few good people and the cars. First I had to find the biggest screen physically possible, which we found and a cinema grade projector. To fit the amount of people I wanted I got in a mini grandstand modified so it could fit people on camp chairs, so everyone would be stoked and comfortable the entire day.  Then getting our great, passionate team together who help me at all our events was the next one, which they did. Come Friday morning we were all moving cars out and around preparing the shed for the arrival of the screen and seating. I am sure dad was wondering about all the trucks coming and going from the shed all day, he came down after we had finished that night..  To say he was gobsmacked was an understatement! His eyes just glowed as he wandered in to his shed, converted now to the ultimate Bathurst weekend man cave.  We really had created our ultimate dream setup to watch motor racing!!  It was now time to share it.

 

The ultimate Bathurst Man cave, Dad was pretty blown out to see it on Friday night.

The event had booked out the week before and the first fans arrived at our gate an hour early on the Sunday, to watch the very start of the telecast from 6am. We had Bathurst legend Bob Morris staying with us on the property and he was there at first light as well, eager to see the Touring Car Masters and Carrera Cup races before the main event. As everyone walked into the shed they had that same look, "How good is this!"

  

John French, David Bowden and Bob Morris share a laugh on the Legends lounge.

Our other Legend John French arrived just before the race began and everyone settled into their chairs for the start of what was to be a truly fantastic race. Watching it at home has always been annoying with the big advert breaks, but we made the most of them, talking to both John and Bob about their race experiences, other drivers, cars and how they saw the race unfolding, it was priceless. In the afternoon we began kicking a few of the significant cars to life in the breaks, just to get the experience even better with the monoxide levels and smell about the same as being there at the track!  The Brock A9X, VL and Tru Blu were by far the crowd favourites.

  

Could this be the single best way to watch the Bathurst race? We say yes! 

For those last few laps the crowd here came alive as Lowndes hunted down Garth Tanders?s HRT machine, the Holden guys were literally going nuts up the back of the seating! I was personally stoked to see GT win, well overdue after a shocking year for them, but also as GT is really a true car enthusiast/ tragic as is his wife Leanne and I dare say new baby will get the disease as well? Well done to him and HRT as well as team 888/Vodafone/ Lowndes for putting on such a great fight at the end, we all loved it.   

  

Second screen down the bottom left was for the live internet track data

The day ended up as one of the best event's we have ever done, enough so that we have had everyone who came along ask to book themselves in for next year, if we do it again? Next year is the 50 year anniversary of the great race and there is a bit of talking going on about the possible things we could be doing down there. Just have to wait and see how it all goes; I for one would love to host the event again, might even be something unique down there at the track next year, that would be pretty special?. Watch this space!!

  

Bob signs our legend visitors wall.

A huge thank you for our two Bathurst racing Legends Bob Morris and John French for making themselves available to come and join us for the day, they really made it something exceptionally unique and memorable for all those who came along. Likewise a big thanks to our team of Aaron, Pete, Connor, John H, John P, Casey, Leisa, Kodey and Darren for helping make it work on the day, it would be impossible to do an event of this size without you guys!

 

Looking forward to see what we do next year, and I hope to see a few of you at that event, where ever it may be! Check out all the shots from the day in our Facebook photo Album by clicking here: 
I love the Bathurst 1000,
Dan 

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