For over half a century, Bathurst and Holden have been indelibly linked in Australian motorsport.
From the moment Bruce McPhee and Barry Mulholland claimed the 1968 500km endurance race at Mount Panorama in a Holden Monaro, the Red Lion has found a spiritual home at the iconic race track.
Peter Brock became the “King of the Mountain” winning a record nine Bathursts – all in Holdens.
Brock’s protege, Craig Lowndes, won the first of his seven Bathurst titles in a Commodore alongside Greg Murphy in 1996.
All up, Holden’s 33 Bathurst victories is more than any other manufacturer, with nearest rivals Ford well back on 21 wins.
General Motors’ decision to “retire” the Holden brand in February however means this month’s Bathurst 1000 will be the last time the Australian manufacturer competes in an official sense at the great race.
While Commodores will almost certainly be present on the grid next year, they will do so without any official factory backing and racing for a badge that is no longer for sale in national showrooms.
It’s a reality that six-time Bathurst 1000 winner and Holden great Mark Skaife is still coming to terms with.
“I was absolutely gobsmacked with the announcement in February this year,” Skaife told AAP.
“From that time on it was a realisation that what has been an iconic brand in this country, that has been a big part of the DNA of our sport, for it not to represented in an official capacity is extraordinary.
“When you consider what racing has done for the brand, when you put them together, a core part of the brand’s success has been what’s gone on on track from the late ’60s.
“With the Holden dealer team and early success with the Monaro at Bathurst, right through to the factory team of Holden as Red Bull Holden Racing Team.
“There’s almost not a family in this country that hasn’t had some sort of connection with the brand.”
Lowndes will be chasing an eighth crown this year as co-driver for Red Bull Holden Racing Team’s Jamie Whincup.
A four-time Bathurst winner himself, Whincup is all too aware of the weight of history his team takes to Mount Panorama this year as the final team to race as a Holden factory outfit.
“It’s the end of an era,” Whincup told AAP.
“We’ve represented the factory team as well as we possibly could.
“We’re very proud of what we’ve been able to achieve and we’re saddened by the fact that it’s going to come to an end at Bathurst.”
After a season which has been heavily affected by the coronavirus pandemic, this year’s Bathurst 1000 will be the season finale for the 2020 championship.
Ford’s Scott McLaughlin, the defending champion at Bathurst, has already sewn up his third consecutive driver’s championship.
Whincup has been his nearest rival throughout the year and has promised he’ll be doing all he can to overcome McLaughlin’s dominance and send Holden out a winner.
“We understand the competition’s as tough as it’s ever been in motorsport,” Whincup said.
“We’ve certainly got the pressure and expectation from the hundreds, millions of Holden fans that have enjoyed watching Holden cars go around the mountain for many, many years.
“If we can send them out on a high that would be huge.”
