Live Blogging Bathurst

Thanks to Hadyn at Dropkicks for the idea.
I'm working today and started at 1300, so missed the first wee while (which I'm not too happy about).


LAP 28: Skaife is in for his first CPS. The Kelly/Dumbrell 16 has just been wheeled into the pits.
LAP 29: The lead car of Courtney/Besnard has also just pitted. Looks like Besnard has just jumped in the car. Besnard and the 51 of Wood/Noske just had a fantastic drag up mountain straight, with the 51 coming out on top. Looks like Lowndes/Whincup's 888 is now leading.
LAP 30: Courtney is being interviewed and looks quite happy and confident. Will be interesting to see if that changes as the race goes on.
LAP 31: Pit lane has sprung into life, with the 14, 33 and somebody else (looks like the 55?) all in. They stay in this order.
Besnard just put a fantastic move on 51 out of the Chase.
LAP 32: The 18 of Davison/Johnson is in. They dropped the car early and the crew member helping Johnson climb in got whacked in the head. He looks ok. #2 is also in, with a driver change.
LAP 33: Lowndes is sliding the 888 like a maniac across the top! Morris has just jumped in 39, after Ingall did well in the first stint. 25 of Bright/Macrow has also come in, but I don't think there was a driver change.
LAP 34: 888 is in, with half a lap to spare over Besnard in 4. Whincup has jumped into the car. Whincup has come out in front!!! Besnard did not try to pull alongside up mountain straight, but looks for the inside line into the cutting. Whincup shuts the door.
LAP 35: Whincup and Besnard continue. Besnard gained a couple of tenths heading up mountain straight anddddd. Ad break.

LAP 36: 51 is in the pits, looks like there was a problem as it's being pushed by the crew.
LAP 37: The 3 of Murph/J. Richards just blasted past Besnard into the chase. The top three is now 888, 3, 4.
LAP 38: No sooner than they get to second does the 3 pit for brake change. BIG PROBLEM FOR 12, the front is rooted. Looks like the took turn 2 too hard, swung out, spun and punched the wall on the inside.
LAP 39: 12 gets to the pits and goes straight into the garage. Ad break.
LAP 42: 6 just got around 4, I think Frosty is at the wheel of 6. They've interviewed Courtney and Ross Stone, so I think there may be a problem with the 4. Awesome super slo-mo footage of Besnard locking the front left just now.
LAP 43: Interviewing Tander, who looks hquietly confident. I must say, the number 1 is doing well. 39 went off at the Chase.
LAP 45: One of the DJR cars is in the pits, possibly 18. One of the tires ripped off was rooted and it looks like the car took off before the refueler was done.
LAP 46: Geez, the number 6 is looking tidy. 888 is in front of them by 27 seconds though. Ad break.

LAP 47: 9 is in for a brake pad change. Van Gisbergen is doing well so far.
LAP 48: Number 25, with I think Bright at the wheel, is all over number 4.
LAP 50: 18 is battling to get around the HRT #1!
LAP 51: Johnson's got a run on Skaife/Tander into turn one AND HE'S GOT PAST! Now the 55 is lining up for a crack and it looks like he got past too.
LAP 52: 34 is in the pits, so is the 5 on Youlden and Canto which has been on the pace more or less. Mix up in the 34, the driver got out (possibly Ritter) for a driver change, but there was nobody to jump in for him! He promptly got shoved back in by a crew member.
LAP 54: Coulthard's 111 is in the pits, that's another car that has been running well. 1 is in as well and Tander has just jumped in. Order is 888, 6, 39.
LAP 55: Ad break.

LAP 57: 4 is in the pits, Courtney has jumped in. 6 is also in, with Richards getting behind the wheel. I have to do some real work now, so will update in a few.

LAP 80: I'm back in action and it looks like Price has set a new lap record!!! 0.032!! That's lightening quick. But seriously, what's gone wrong with the timing monitors? Looks like all the tires are tearing themselves to shreds too.
LAP 81: Tander runs wide at the chase trying to get past the 39 of Morris/Ingall!
LAP 82: We're getting a technical explanation of negative camber (where the tire is fitted on an angle so when driving straight only a little bit makes contact, but during cornering the tire rolls so the full surface touches the road. Ad break.

Lap 84: Running order is Lowndes, Davison, Ingall, Richards. A DJR pit member just held a board out telling Davison to check his earpugs. I hate not having audio, but could this be a repeat of balaclavagate?
LAP 85: Lowndes has a 2 second lead over Davison. The top 10 are pretty compacted overall, which bodes well for the rest of the race. Ad break

LAP 87: Paul Cruickshank is being interviewed and says there may be a second car next year. Good to see him being interviewed. Running order is Lowndes/Davison/Ingall/Murphy.

LAP 100: What the hell? I do some work, come back and Murphy/Richards are in the lead, while Mark Skaife in the 1 has gone off the track!
LAP 101: Car 3 is in the pits. Richards has jumped in the drivers seat. I'm not even sure of who is leading what at this stage.
LAP 102: 888 is trying to catch 1. Not sure if this will put them a lap down, or if it is for position. Nope, it's for position, although Skaife has to pit again soon. Ad break.

LAP 104: Skaife has effectively ruined the HRT 1's chances, running wide after what looks like a tyre problem. Lots of race tape has been applied and the team will be hoping the light stays good, as their lights will be useless. Now what does this mean for Whincup and Winterbottom, who are chasing the championship?
LAP 105: Focusing on Luke Youlden in the second FPR car. OThe DJR 18 has just pitted, tyres only.
LAP 106: There's only been one safety car so far in the race which is odd. Whoops, I spoke too soon. Car 34 has spun and is deep in the gravel at McPhillamey Park it looks like. Safety car is on track. Car 33 also spun at the final turn, did a big four wheel drift trying to get around number 6.
LAP 107: Pit lane is busy.
LAP 108: Number 6 just got around 2 at the chase and now 111 is lining up for a crack.
LAP 109: Running order Whincup/Macrow/Winterbottom. 33 just punted off 777 at the chase, while 6 has rounded up Macrow.
LAP 110: Winterbottom is hustling!
Lap 113: Winterbottom and Whincup are getting closer. Ad break.

LAP 115: A freight train is forming behind one of the Jack Daniel's cars. Whincup/Winterbottom/Macrow is the order.
LAP 116: 25 is in the pits, I think Brighty will jump in. Nope, looks like tyres and fuel only. Two cars have pushed the 14 out of the way to get past and now the 51 and 4 are stuck behind 88, looking to out-drag the European pairing down Conrod. The 88 has a decent whack of horsepower, but 51 and 4 get him at the chase and 55 looks to get an inside run into the final turn. Yep, he's through.
LAP 117: Courtney (I think) is trying to round up number 51, but it looks like 51 is using some pretty sharp defensive lines. The SBR car got him down Conrod, while 55 rounded him up into the chase.
LAP 119: Car 3 just outdragged 88 along pit straight. Ad break.

LAP 122: Car 18 is in AGAIN (Another tyre is rooted) and Dick Johnson is having some stern words with Dunlop officials. Ad break.

LAP 125: Frosty's out on his own and pedalling hard.
LAP 126: 111 is in, looks like Coulthard may have jumped in. I'd guess he's going to double-stint to the end. Came out behind 18 and ahead of 25, which isn't bad! Meanwhile 33 is all over the back of 88.
LAP 127: The Kelly/Dumbrell 16 is back out, hunting for points I guess. Meanwhile the PMM 67 went deep into the chase and did a bit of motocross.
LAP 128: Safety car. Not sure what for, took my eyes off. Everyone is in to fill up and change drivers, looking to double stint. This is where it gets hard to know who is in what. 111 is back in for some reason. 6 has pitted too, with Richards jumping in! It looks like 67 went off that the chase again, which is possibly the trigger for the SC period. Ingall is behind the wheel of 39. The order appears to be 4, 888, 6.
LAP 30: Underway again. 888 rounded up 1 well, but Richards in 6 is stuck behind him over the top of the mountain. That tape can't help 1's aerodynamics, so I expect 6 will round him up down Conrod. Nope, I was wrong!
LAP 131: 6 has got past, but 3 is right on Richard's arse down Conrod, while Jamie Whincup looks like Dory from Finding Nemo as he is interviewed on mute.
LAP 132: Here's a spit roast you wouldn't want to join, Whincup is on the left and Craig Lowndes is on the right (in car camera, obviously). Ad break.

LAP 135: Huge focus on car 39, which has a little bit of blue smoke coming from the back. No! Keep going, win and turn my $5 into $175!!! 6 has pulled a reasonable lead away from 3.
LAP 136: A whole bunch of people were looking down the inside into turn two just now.
LAP 137: Jeez, that DJR car has balls, roaring up mountain straight.
LAP 138: Ingall's out! 4 is in the pits. So is 6! Lots of gravel in the front radiator. I don't think this was a planned stop.
LAP 139: 88 has spun! Looks like a safety car will be out.
LAP ???: Car 33 is stranded, safety car is out. Order appears to be 888/6/3. Ad break.

LAP 143: 6 is trying to hustle up to 888, but 3 looks around the outside at 2 AND HE'S GOT THROUGH! 6 comes back though before the cutting. He's pulling away now, but 3's oming back down Conrod thanks to the draft. 888 has about 2 seconds lead.
LAP 144: Slo-mo replay shows something flying from 4, but doesn't look too critical.
LAP 145: 67 is in the tyre wall! Looks like it might be at the end of the chase, where Radisich crashed in 2006. (Edit: Nup, it's at the final turn) Safety car is out. Ad break.

LAP 147: Restart and already HRT 2 is out! Straight into the tyres at turn two! And we get to see a dirty ginger in the HRT garage look disappointed. (Guess they really take this 'red' thing seriously huh?) In their defence, 17 took a wild dive inside and clipped the rear right, sending them out of control. Safety car and ad break.

LAP ???: Order is still 888/6/3. Frosty is looking pretty happy and is still in his leathers, so I guess there is a possibility of a driver change at their final stop.
LAP 150: Racing again. 17 has a black flag!
LAP 151: 4 is making serious moves to get past 14...
LAP 152: ... And it's continuing. Just keeps your cool James, don't bin it with 10 to go! 888 just breezed past 777, as did 6, 3, 14 and 4.
LAP 153: 3 is right on 6's ass, but the pair appear to be making subtle gains on 888. I just saw 021 is on the track on the timing monitor! Courtney just rounded up 14.
LAP 155: Although I don't want to admit it, I think the FPR 6 has conceded defeat to 888 and is looking to the longer situation, the championship.
LAP 156: SPECTACULAR slo-mo shot of something dripping out the back of 3. That was gorgeous.
LAP 157: 2 second gap between 888 and 6.
LAP 158: 6 is continuing to hold off 3, but struggling to gain any ground on 888. HE JUST WENT WIDE AT THE CHASE! 3 ALONGSIDE INTO THE FINAL TURN AND HE'S THROUGH!
LAP 159: Be interesting to see if 3 can chase down 888 with 3 laps to run. 777 has spun in a dangerous possie and buried in the wall, will this bring out the SC?! He's limping around the track. 3's catching 888. This is exciting! 4 has just pushed 6 out of the way!
LAP 160: Frosty Winterbottom looks really upset, he's just watched a podium slip away over the past two laps.
LAP 161: 2.8 seconds between Lowndes in the 888 in P1 and Murph in 3 in P2. At a guess I'd say Lowndes has it stiched up, I don't think Lowndes was gunning for it the past wee while. Lowndes has won! Triple 8 take three in a row!!! Murph/J Richards second and Courtney/Besnard third. For the record, Murph finished 2.4 seconds behind.