Holden Racing Team

# 2 Commodore VF - GARTH TANDER
At the start of the year it looked like things were finally falling into place at the HRT. Things soon changed, however, with the flagship Holden team taking a step backwards – before being stripped (as of next year) of Holden support. Then, out of the blue Tander and Luff win the Sandown 500, only for the team to announce just days later that Tander wouldn't be part of its 2016 plans. A bizarre leadup to Bathurst for the HRT, then – but if Tander could get the job done at Sandown he can certainly win the 1000. What a wonderful parting shot that would be…

Stats:
Best in Bathurst 1000: 1st (3 times); 3rd (twice).
Career Best: 1st in 2000, 09 & 11 Bathurst 1000; 2007 Australian Touring Car Champion; 1st in 2002 Bathurst 24 Hours; 1st in 2008 & 09 Phillip Island 500; 1st in 2016 Sandown 500; 1997 Australian Formula Ford Champion; 2nd in 2000 V8SCS; 2nd in 2003 Bathurst 24 Hours; 2nd in 1999 & 00 Queensland 500; 3rd in 2010 & 15 Bathurst 1000.

# 2 Commodore VF - WARREN LUFF
Luff has developed into the consummate co-driver performer at Bathurst – he’s finished in third place in all of his last three starts. There is no one else among the hired co-driver help that can boast this kind of consistent high achievement (and lets not forget he's just partnered Tander to victory in the Sandown 500), but you can be sure than before Luff hangs his helmet up he will want to have added a victory to his string of Bathurst podiums.

Stats:
Best in Bathurst 1000: 2nd; 3rd (three times).
Career Best: 1st in 2012 and 16 Sandown 500; 2nd in 2011 Bathurst 12 Hours; 2nd in 2013 Sandown 500; 3rd in 2012, 13 & 15 Bathurst 1000; 3rd in 2004 & 14 Sandown 500; 2nd in 2014 Carrera Cup; 2nd in class in 1996 Nurburgring 24 Hours; 3rd in 2013 Carrera Cup.

 

Lucas Dumbrell Motorsport

# 3 Commodore VF - ANDRE HEIMGARTNER
To go from one of the biggest teams to one of the smallest, as Heimgartner has done this year with the switch from PRA to LDM, has made for a challenging year – and it’s also probably made Andre a better driver. It’s been a tough season; the Kiwi will be hoping to turn back time and emulate the result he got here in debut in 2014.

Stats:
Best in Bathurst 1000: 11th.
Career Best: 2010/11 & 11/12 NZ Formula Ford Champion; 1st in class in 2013 Bathurst 12 Hours; 5th in 2014 Dunlop V8 Supercar Series.

#3 Commodore VF - AAREN RUSSELL
It’s been an interesting introduction to the Supercars Championship for Russell, to put it mildly. This year he finally broke into the main game only to part ways with Erebus Motorsport mid season. For the enduros he has teamed up for the enduros with Heimgartner in what is by no means a front-running car, but one which was normally ahead of Russell’s erstwhile Erebus mount.

Stats:
Best in Bathurst 1000: 17th.
Career Best:11th in 2015 Dunlop V8 Supercar Series; 17th in 2015 Bathurst 1000.

 

Erebus Motorsport

# 4 Commodore VF - SHAE DAVIES
Uniquely, Shae Davies contested both the Carrera Cup and the Dunlop Series last year – that’s one way to get a lot of experience in a short space of time. This year, though, he’s been concentrating solely on V8 Supercars as he prepares for his Great Race debut. It’s a big step but Davies has been solid in the second-tier Supercars series so far this year and should acquit himself well.

Stats:
Best in Bathurst 1000: Rookie.
Career Best: 1st in 2013 Kumho V8 Touring Car Series; 4th in 2014 Carrera Cup; 6th in 2013 Carrera Cup’ 8th in 2015 Dunlop V8 Supercar Series.

# 4 Commodore VF – CHRIS VAN DER DRIFT
Van der Drift is new to Australia and Supercars but the Kiwi boasts quite an accomplished record in junior international openwheeler racing. Something of a left-field choice of co-driver from Erebus but the 30-year-old has the runs on the board and looked pretty solid in his Supercars debut in the Sandown 500.

Stats:
Best in Bathurst 1000: Rookie.
Career Best: 1st in 2008 International Masters Series; 2nd in International Masters Series; 2nd in 2006 Formula Renault 2.0 Supercup and NEC; 4th in 2010 Superleague Formula.

 

Team BOC

# 8 Commodore VF - JASON BRIGHT
It’s been a while since Bright’s last win – and 18 years since he won this race – so the Team BOC Commodore isn’t among the statistical favourites for this year’s event. And yet… take a look at this team’s Bathurst record. It’s only going to take BJR to find the sweet spot in the chassis setup for this place – as they so often do – and Bright will up there fighting for a result.

Stats:
Best in Bathurst 1000: 1st; 2nd; 3rd.
Career Best: 1st in 1998 Bathurst 1000; 1997 Australian Drivers’ Champion; 1995 Australian Formula Ford Champion; 1st in 2003 Bathurst 24 Hours; 1st in 2006 Sandown 500; 2nd in 2000 Bathurst 1000; 2nd in 1996 US Formula Ford 2000 series; 2nd in class in 2006 Sebring 12 Hours; 2nd in 1996 Australian Drivers’ Championship; 3rd in 2002 Bathurst 1000.

# 8 Commodore VF - ANDREW JONES
He’s perhaps not quite in the veteran category yet but this will be Andrew Jones’ 15th start. A recent return to the Dunlop Series seems to be keeping Jones in fine form; certainly there was nothing wrong with his pace last year and Bright should be able to rely once again on a reliable and quick co-driver.

Stats:
Best in Bathurst 1000: 4th.
Career Best : 3rd in 2010 Bathurst 12 Hours; 3rd in 2010 Phillip Island 500; 4th in 2005 Bathurst 1000; 1st in class in 2013 Bathurst 12 Hours; 5th in 2013 Bathurst 1000; 1st in 2004 Dunlop V8 Supercar Series; 3rd in 2013 Dunlop V8 Supercar Series.

 

 

 

Erebus Motorsport Penrite Racing

#9 Commodore VF - DAVID REYNOLDS
This time last year Reynolds dominated the Saturday headlines with his pole-winning effort in qualfiying – and was still making news the following week as the unlikely subject of a debate about sexism in sport (but that’s another story). Reynolds will be hoping for a much lower-key preparation this year, as well as a better result on raceday.

Stats:
Best in Bathurst 1000: 2nd.
Career Best: 2004 Australian Formula Ford Champion; 2007 Carrera Cup Champion; 2nd in 2012 Bathurst 1000; 3rd in 2015 V8SCS; 2nd in 2008/09 NZ Porsche GT3 Cup; 3rd in 2006 Carrera Cup; 3rd in class in 2007 Sepang 12 Hours.

#9 Commodore VF - CRAIG BAIRD
Baird was a non-starter at Bathurst in 2015 – the first time he hadn’t been on the grid in October in 16 years. Not only is he back, but the unexpected mid-season skakeup at Erebus has allowed the Kiwi veteran to get in some valuable pre-enduro race experience. Baird and Reynolds makes a very good pairing.

Stats:
Best in Bathurst 1000: 4th.
Career Best: 1st in 1991, 92 & 93 NZGP; 1993/94, 94/95, 95/96 & 96/97 New Zealand Touring Car Champion; 2009/10 NZ V8 Touring Car Champion; 2004/05, 05/06, 06/07, 07/08, 08/09 & 09/10 NZ Porsche GT3 Cup Champion; 2006, 08, 11, 12 & 13 Carrera Cup Champion; 1st in 1991, 92 & 93 NZ Formula Pacific series; 1st in 2007 Bathurst 12 Hours; 1st in 2008 Dubai 24 Hours; 1st in 2013 Sepang 12 Hours.

 

Freightliner Racing

# 14 Commodore VF - TIM SLADE
It’s been a breakout year for Slade, who finally bagged his first V8 Supercars race win – two in the one weekend, in fact. Clearly the move to Brad Jones Racing has been a wise one that’s paid off handsomely; this is his best chance of scoring (at least) a top five result at Bathurst since the early days at Stone Brothers Racing.

Stats:
Best in Bathurst 1000: 7th.
Career Best: 2nd in 2012 Bathurst 12 Hours; 2nd in 2006 Australian Formula Ford Championship; 5th in 2010 Phillip Island 500; 5th in 2012 V8SCS; 6th in 2013 Bathurst 12 Hours.

# 14 Commodore VF - ASHLEY WALSH
Walsh wasn’t able to continue into a second season of V8 Supercars this year, instead switching to the Carrera Cup. The upshot of that is that he’s landed in a seat which, while perhaps not among the hot favourites, is easily capable of delivering a very strong result. Certainly this year as a co-driver he can go to Bathurst with much higher expectations than he did in 2015 as a full-timer.

Stats:
Best in Bathurst 1000: 15th.
Career Best: 2nd in 2007 Australian Formula Ford Championship; 2nd in 2013 Dunlop V8 Supercar Series; 3rd in 2006 Australian Formula Ford Championship; 3rd in class in 2011 Bathurst 12 Hours; 3rd in 2014 Dunlop V8 Supercar Series.

 

Preston Hire Racing

# 18 Commodore VF - LEE HOLDSWORTH
Lee Holdsworth returns for the enduros after the heavy shunt at Hidden Valley that saw him hospitalised with a broken pelvis and ribs – and, it was later discovered, a fractured knee. Apart from the obvious personal setback for Holdsworth, it has it forced the team to bring forward the new car that had been planned for 2017.

Stats:
Best in Bathurst 1000: 3rd.
Career Best: 3rd in 2009 Bathurst 1000; 4th in 2013 Sandown 500; 5th in 2007 Sandown 500; 5th in 2008 Phillip Island 500; 6th in 2013 Bathurst 12 Hours.

# 18 Commodore VF - KARL REINDLER
Reindler had three years in the main series before his exit at the end of 2012. Since then he’s been very much a part time racer, dabbling in the Carrera Cup and, each year, the V8 Supercars enduros. Reindler brings a good blend of pace and experience; and will have got in some valuable pre-enduro laps shaking down the new car while Holdsworth recuperated.

Stats:
Best in Bathurst 1000: 15th.
Career Best: 2004 Australian F3 Champion; 6th in 2003 Australian F3 Championship; 6th in 2008 Sepang 12 Hours; 14th in 2006 British F3 Championship; 15th in 2010 Bathurst 1000; 8th in 2008 Dunlop V8 Supercar Series.

 

Team Darrell Lea STIX

# 19 Commodore VF - WILL DAVISON
After two seasons with Erebus, Davison shifted across to Tekno Autosports to fill the seat vacanted by van Gisbergen. So far it looks to have been a good move: one event out from the enduros, he was a solid sixth in the points and was one of the 10 drivers to have won races so far in 2016. On the back of that kind of half-season effort, Davison can go to Bathurst feeling, if not very confident, satisfied that he has a very good chance of getting a very good result.

Stats:
Best in Bathurst 1000: 1st; 3rd.
Career Best: 1st in 2009 Bathurst 1000; 1st in 2009 Phillip Island 500; 2nd in 2009 V8SCS; 2001 Australian Formula Ford Champion; 3rd in 2016 Sandown 500; 3rd in 2007 Bathurst 1000; 3rd in 2013 V8SCS; 3rd in 2014 Bathurst 12 Hours; 3rd in 2008 & 11 Phillip Island 500; 3rd in 2013 Sandown 500.

# 19 Commodore VF - JONATHON WEBB
Webb remains in Supercars these days not as a driver but as a team owner. But when time comes for the enduros, he can be relied upon to deliver. This year he’s been keeping himself occupied outside of running the Supercar team in a McLaren in the Australian GT Championship – which kicked off in style with a victory in the Bathurst 12 Hour.

Stats:
Best in Bathurst 1000: 6th.

Career Best: 1st in 2008 Dubai 24 Hours; 1st in 2016 Bathurst 12 Hours; 1st in 2009 Dunlop V8 Supercar Series; 3rd in 2015 and 16 Sandown 500; 3rd in 2005 Carrera Cup.

 

Team Cooldrive

# 21 Commodore VF - TIM BLANCHARD
It’s been a steady season so far for Blanchard. It’s his third year as a full-time driver in the championship, and we’re still waiting to see his best – his record in junior openwheelers and the Dunlop Series is superb and suggests that he is a potential star. For the moment, the aim here will be a top 10 result.

Stats:
Best in Bathurst 1000: 15th.
Career Best: 2007 Australian Formula Ford Champion; 2nd in 2008 British Formula Ford Championship; 6th in 2011 Phillip Island 500; 2nd in 2010 Dunlop V8 Supercar Series; 5th in 2011 Dunlop V8 Supercar Series.

# 21 Commodore VF - MACAULEY JONES
The son of Brad Jones is in his second full season of the Dunlop Series, so young Macauley is beginning to amass a reasonable amount of V8 Supercars race experience. He did a good job in the enduros last year and his Dunlop Series performances this year show he’s making real progress.

Stats:
 6 October 1994.
Best in Bathurst 1000: 15th.
Career Best: 4th in 2013 Australian Formula Ford Championship; 5th in 2012 Australian Formula Ford Championship; 12th in 2015 Dunlop V8 Supercar Series; 20th in 2016 Sandown 500.

 

Holden Racing Team

# 22 Commodore VF - JAMES COURTNEY
Tenth in the points is not the kind of 2016 Courtney would have envisaged after his magnificent victory at Adelaide in March. But that’s the state of play one event out from the enduros, as rumours begin to circulate that Courtney is looking elsewhere for employment in 2017. Second place at Townsville was good, recent news – it’s not been a good year but it’s not all bad.

Stats:
Best in Bathurst 1000: 2nd; 3rd (twice).
Career Best: 2010 Australian Touring Car Champion; 2003 Japanese F3 Champion; 2000 British Formula Ford Champion; 2nd in 2002 British F3 Championship; 4th in 2001 British F3 Championship; 2nd in 2007 Bathurst 1000; 2nd in 2014 Sandown 500; 3rd in 2006 & 08 Bathurst 1000.

# 22 Commodore VF - JACK PERKINS
Jack Perkins is for the moment out of the main game but has kept himself busy in the Australian Sports Sedan Championship at the wheel of Auto Union Motorsport’s formidable Chev-powered Audi A4. He was victorious with Courtney at Surfers Paradise last year, and in his bid to do the same at Bathurst Perkins will be hoping the HRT can shake off its current doldrums.

Stats:
Best in Bathurst 1000: 8th.
Career Best: 1st in 2015 Gold Coast 600; 5th in 2010 Phillip Island 500; 8th in 2008 & 11 Bathurst 1000; 8th in 2013 Sandown 500; 2nd in 2011 Dunlop V8 Supercar Series; 3rd in 2006 Dunlop V8 Supercar Series.

 

Red Bull Racing Australia

# 88 Commodore VF - JAMIE WHINCUP
After a shaky spell earlier in the year Whincup and Red Bull Racing in recent months seem to have really hit their straps. That’s not good news for their opponents as the enduros approach, because statistically the most successful driver of the current era is probably about due for a Bathurst win, since it’s been four years since his last.

Stats:
Best in Bathurst 1000: 1st (4 times); 2nd (3 times).
Career Best: 1st in 2006, 07, 08 & 12 Bathurst 1000; 2008, 09, 11, 12, 13 & 14 Australian Touring Car Champion; 1st in 2007, 13 & 14 Sandown 500; 2002 Australian Formula Ford Champion; 2nd in 2005, 10 & 13 Bathurst 1000; 2nd in 2007 & 10 V8SCS; 2nd in 2008, 09 & 11 Phillip Island 500.

# 88 Commodore VF - PAUL DUMBRELL
Uniquely, nearly all of Dumbrell’s success has come after his retirement! It was only after quitting the main game and slotting into the part-time co-driver role that Dumbrell has really begun to rack up the results. Maybe he ‘retired’ too soon – last year at Bathurst not only was he fastest of all co-drivers, he set the fourth fastest lap of the race!

Stats:
Best in Bathurst 1000: 1st, 2nd.
Career Best: 1st in 2012 Bathurst 1000; 1st in 2013 & 14 Sandown 500; 2nd in 2013 Bathurst 1000; 3rd in 2000 NZGP; 3rd in 2012 Sandown 500; 5th in 2002 & 06 Bathurst 1000; 1st in 2002 & 14 Dunlop V8 Supercar Series.

 

Red Bull Racing Australia

# 97 Commodore VF - SHANE VAN GISBERGEN
He won the Bathurst 12 Hour earlier this year but his best in this race is only a sixth place. That’s not a state of affairs that’s likely to last long. He’s arguably the form driver of the series right now, with twice as many wins as anyone else, and that 12 hour win eight months ago should have him nicely primed for the Mountain.

Stats:
Best in Bathurst 1000: 6th.
Career Best: 1st in 2016 Bathurst 12 Hours; 2005/06 NZ Formula Ford Champion; 2nd in 2014 V8SCS; 2nd in 2016 Sandown 500; 2nd in class in 2015 Daytona 24 Hours; 3rd in 2013 Bathurst 12 Hours; 3rd in 2013 NZ V8STC; 3rd in 2015 Sandown 500.

# 97 Commodore VF - ALEXANDRE PREMAT
Premat was so impressive at Bathurst last year and was unlucky not to come away with a result. The fact that he was so quick after being more than 12 months out of a V8 Supercar did not go unnoticed by the Triple Eight brains trust as they cast around for a co-driver for van Gisbergen – this is a formidable partnership.

Stats:
Best in Bathurst 1000: 5th.
Career Best: 1st in 2008 Le Mans Series; 1st in 2004 Macau Grand Prix; 1st in 2002 French Formula Renault series; 2nd in 2016 Sandown 500; 4th in 2008 Le Mans 24 Hours; 3rd in 2006 GP2 series; 4th in 2005 GP2 series.

 

Lucas Dumbrell Motorsport

# 222 Commodore VF - NICK PERCAT
Percat started the year with a shock win at Adelaide, only his second victory in V8 Supercars. The other one was at Bathurst in 2011… An LDM Bathurst win would be no less surprising than the team’s opening 2016 gambit, but let’s not forget that Percat was also third here two years ago – with the same co-driver as today.

Stats:
Best in Bathurst 1000: 1st, 3rd.
Career Best : 1st in 2011 Bathurst 1000; 2009 Australian Formula Ford Champion; 2nd in 2013 Carrera Cup; 3rd in 2014 Bathurst 1000; 2nd in 2008 Australian Formula Ford Championship.

# 222 Commodore VF - OLIVER GAVIN
He partnered Percat to third place at Bathurst in 2014, which was not a bad way to make one’s Great Race debut. Since then Percat has changed teams, but Gavin remains as his co-driver. The British veteran is a multiple Le Mans class winner; he is one of the world’s most accomplished sportscar endurance drivers – Gavin and Percat make a driver pairing that wouldn’t look out of place in any team.

Stats:
Best in Bathurst 1000: 3rd.
Career Best: 1st in class in 2002, 04, 05, 06 & 15 Le Mans 24 Hours; 1995 British F3 Champion; 1st in class in 2005, 06, 07 & 12 American Le Mans Series; 1st in class in 2001, 02, 06, 07 & 13 Sebring 12 Hours; 1st in class in 2016 Daytona 24 Hours.

 

Red Bull Racing Australia

# 888 Commodore VF - CRAIG LOWNDES
Lowndes is shooting for victory number seven – which would take him to equal to Jim Richards and only two shy of his old mentor, Peter Brock. You wouldn’t bet against it after the kind of season Lowndes is enjoying this year, and with Steven Richards onboard it’s a reprise of last year’s successful partnership. Car 888 has to be one of the shortest-priced favourites.

Stats:
Best in Bathurst 1000: 1st (6 times); 2nd (5 times); 3rd (twice).
Career Best: 1st in 1996, 2006, 07, 08, 10 and 15 Bathurst 1000; 1996, 98 & 99 Australian Touring Car Champion; 1st in 2014 Bathurst 12 Hours; 1st in 1996, 97, 2005, 07 & 12 Sandown 500; 1st in 2010 & 11 Phillip Island 500; 1993 Australian Formula Ford Champion; 2nd in 1994, 99, 2003, 04 & 11 Bathurst 1000; 2nd in 2005, 06, 11, 12, 13 & 15 V8SCS; 2nd in 2011 Bathurst 12 Hours; 2nd in 2008 & 09 Phillip Island 500; 2nd in 2013 Sandown 500.

# 888 Commodore VF - STEVEN RICHARDS
Richards retired from full time V8 Supercars competition at the end of 2010 but since then has bagged another couple of Bathurst wins. It just goes to show how much experience counts in endurance racing and at Mount Panorama in particular – and there are few drivers with the accomplishments and experience of Steven Richards.

Stats:
Best in Bathurst 1000: 1st (4 times); 2nd (three times); 3rd.
Career Best: 1st in 1998, 99, 2013 & 15 Bathurst 1000; 1st in 2002 Bathurst 24 Hours; 1994 Australian Formula Ford Champion; 2014 Carrera Cup Champion; 2nd in 1997, 98 & 2002 Bathurst 1000; 2nd in 2003 Bathurst 24 Hours; 2nd in 2002 Queensland 500; 2nd in 2012 Sandown 500; 3rd in 2000 Bathurst 1000.

 

So far in 2016 for Holden…

Wins:      16
Podiums:   24

Holden dominates its rivals numerically but it also getting the job done on the track. Six of the top 10 in the championship heading into Bathurst are Holden drivers, but the stats are much more emphatic when it comes to race wins: no less than 16 wins from the total of 20 run so far. And 24 podiums on top of that… Even more depressing or the non-Holden teams, at Sandown the Holden Racing Team emerged as if from nowhere to dominate the race. So on the eve of the Great Race, another Holden team has popped up as a serious potential winner. HRT will be hard to beat, as will the Triple Eight trio, and it would be foolish to dismiss the Tekno Autosport entry or the Brad Jones Racing Commodores.