2018 Bathurst 1000
# 2018 Bathurst 1000

The 2018 Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000 was a motor racing event for Supercars, held on the weekend of 4–7 October 2018. It was staged at the Mount Panorama Circuit in Bathurst, New South Wales, Australia and featured of a 1000 kilometre race. The event was the thirteenth of sixteen in the 2018 Supercars Championship and incorporated Race 25 of the series. It was also the second event of the 2018 Enduro Cup.

The race was won by Craig Lowndes and Steven Richards driving a Holden Commodore ZB for Triple Eight Race Engineering.

## Report

### Background

The event was the 61st running of the Bathurst 1000, which was first held at the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit in 1960 as a 500-mile race for Australian-made standard production sedans, and marked the 58th time that the race was held at Mount Panorama. It was the 22nd running of the Australian 1000 race, which was first held after the organisational split between the Australian Racing Drivers Club and V8 Supercars Australia that saw two "Bathurst 1000" races contested in both 1997 and 1998. It was the 20th time the race had been held as part of the Supercars Championship and the sixth time it formed part of the Enduro Cup. The defending winners of the race were David Reynolds and Luke Youlden.

Shane van Gisbergen entered the event as the championship leader, 55 points clear of DJR Team Penske's Scott McLaughlin. Van Gisbergen's Triple Eight Race Engineering team-mate Jamie Whincup was third in the points standings, 338 points from the lead. In the Teams' Championship, Triple Eight held a 656-point lead over DJR Team Penske. In the Enduro Cup standings, Triple Eight team-mates Jamie Whincup and Paul Dumbrell led the pairing of Van Gisbergen and Earl Bamber by 24 points.

### Entry list

Twenty-six cars were entered in the event. As in 2017, there were no additional "Wildcard" entries entered in the race. Four drivers would make their first start in the Bathurst 1000 - two-time Le Mans 24 Hours winner Earl Bamber, Super2 drivers Will Brown and Bryce Fullwood, and 'main-gamer' Anton de Pasquale. Teams Matt Stone Racing and 23Red Racing would also make their debuts in 'the Great Race', however the former contained many crew members from the former Stone Brothers Racing outfit and the latter was a continuation of Lucas Dumbrell Motorsport under new owners. It was the last start in the Bathurst 1000 for Paul Dumbrell and Jason Bright.

| No. | Drivers | Team (Sponsor) | Car | No. | Drivers | Team | Car |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | Jamie Whincup Paul Dumbrell | Triple Eight Race Engineering (Red Bull, Holden) | Holden Commodore ZB | 21 | Tim Blanchard Dale Wood | Tim Blanchard Racing (CoolDrive) | Holden Commodore ZB |
| 2 | Scott Pye Warren Luff | Walkinshaw Andretti United (Mobil 1, Boost Mobile) | Holden Commodore ZB | 23 | Michael Caruso Dean Fiore | Nissan Motorsport (Industrial Athlete) | Nissan Altima L33 |
| 5 | Mark Winterbottom Dean Canto | Tickford Racing (Bottle-O) | Ford Falcon FG X | 25 | James Courtney Jack Perkins | Walkinshaw Andretti United (Mobil 1, Boost Mobile) | Holden Commodore ZB |
| 6 | Cameron Waters David Russell | Tickford Racing (Monster Energy) | Ford Falcon FG X | 33 | Garth Tander Chris Pither | Garry Rogers Motorsport (Wilson Security) | Holden Commodore ZB |
| 7 | Andre Heimgartner Aaren Russell | Nissan Motorsport (Castrol, Plus Fitness) | Nissan Altima L33 | 34 | James Golding Richard Muscat | Garry Rogers Motorsport (Wilson Security) | Holden Commodore ZB |
| 8 | Nick Percat Macauley Jones | Brad Jones Racing (Repco) | Holden Commodore ZB | 35 | Todd Hazelwood Bryce Fullwood | Matt Stone Racing (Bigmate GPS) | Holden Commodore VF |
| 9 | David Reynolds Luke Youlden | Erebus Motorsport (Penrite) | Holden Commodore ZB | 55 | Chaz Mostert James Moffat | Tickford Racing (Supercheap Auto) | Ford Falcon FG X |
| 11 | Rick Kelly Garry Jacobson | Nissan Motorsport (Castrol) | Nissan Altima L33 | 56 | Richie Stanaway Steve Owen | Tickford Racing (Rabble Club) | Ford Falcon FG X |
| 12 | Fabian Coulthard Tony D'Alberto | DJR Team Penske (Shell) | Ford Falcon FG X | 78 | Simona de Silvestro Alex Rullo | Nissan Motorsport} (Harvey Norman) | Nissan Altima L33 |
| 14 | Tim Slade Ashley Walsh | Brad Jones Racing (Freightliner) | Holden Commodore ZB | 97 | Shane van Gisbergen Earl Bamber | Triple Eight Race Engineering (Red Bull, Holden) | Holden Commodore ZB |
| 17 | Scott McLaughlin Alexandre Prémat | DJR Team Penske (Shell) | Ford Falcon FG X | 99 | Anton de Pasquale Will Brown | Erebus Motorsport (Penrite) | Holden Commodore ZB |
| 18 | Lee Holdsworth Jason Bright | Team 18 (Preston Hire) | Holden Commodore ZB | 230 | Will Davison Alex Davison | 23Red Racing (Milwaukee Tools) | Ford Falcon FG X |
| 19 | Jack Le Brocq Jonathon Webb | Tekno Autosports (Truck Assist) | Holden Commodore ZB | 888 | Craig Lowndes Steven Richards | Triple Eight Race Engineering (Autobarn) | Holden Commodore ZB |

## Results

### Practice

Practice summary :

| Session | Day | Fastest lap | Fastest lap | Fastest lap | Fastest lap | Fastest lap | Fastest lap |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Session | Day | No. | Driver | Team | Car | Time | Cond. |
| Practice 1 | Thursday | 230 | Will Davison | 23Red Racing | Ford Falcon FG X | 2:25.0243 | Wet |
| Practice 2 | Thursday | 17 | Alexandre Prémat | DJR Team Penske | Ford Falcon FG X | 2:35.1824 | Wet |
| Practice 3 | Thursday | 56 | Richie Stanaway | Tickford Racing | Ford Falcon FG X | 2:29.0174 | Wet |
| Practice 4 | Friday | 9 | Luke Youlden | Erebus Motorsport | Holden Commodore ZB | 2:06.6470 | Drying |
| Practice 5 | Friday | 23 | Michael Caruso | Nissan Motorsport | Nissan Altima L33 | 2:26.2236 | Wet |
| Practice 6 | Saturday | 9 | David Reynolds | Erebus Motorsport | Holden Commodore ZB | 2:04.4072 | Dry |
| Warm-Up | Sunday | 17 | Scott McLaughlin | DJR Team Penske | Ford Falcon FG X | 2:04.9633 | Dry |
| Sources: ||||||||

### Qualifying

| Pos. | No. | Driver | Team | Car | Time | Gap | Grid |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | 1 | Jamie Whincup | Triple Eight Race Engineering | Holden Commodore ZB | 2:04.1093 | | Top 10 |
| 2 | 9 | David Reynolds | Erebus Motorsport | Holden Commodore ZB | 2:04.2647 | +0.1555 | Top 10 |
| 3 | 17 | Scott McLaughlin | DJR Team Penske | Ford Falcon FG X | 2:04.2861 | +0.1769 | Top 10 |
| 4 | 97 | Shane van Gisbergen | Triple Eight Race Engineering | Holden Commodore ZB | 2:04.3818 | +0.2725 | Top 10 |
| 5 | 25 | James Courtney | Walkinshaw Andretti United | Holden Commodore ZB | 2:04.4759 | +0.3666 | Top 10 |
| 6 | 888 | Craig Lowndes | Triple Eight Race Engineering | Holden Commodore ZB | 2:04.5702 | +0.4609 | Top 10 |
| 7 | 6 | Cameron Waters | Tickford Racing | Ford Falcon FG X | 2:04.5794 | +0.4701 | Top 10 |
| 8 | 8 | Nick Percat | Brad Jones Racing | Holden Commodore ZB | 2:04.6380 | +0.5288 | Top 10 |
| 9 | 99 | Anton de Pasquale | Erebus Motorsport | Holden Commodore ZB | 2:04.6942 | +0.5849 | Top 10 |
| 10 | 33 | Garth Tander | Garry Rogers Motorsport | Holden Commodore ZB | 2:04.8567 | +0.7474 | Top 10 |
| 11 | 55 | Chaz Mostert | Tickford Racing | Ford Falcon FG X | 2:04.9133 | +0.8040 | 11 |
| 12 | 34 | James Golding | Garry Rogers Motorsport | Holden Commodore ZB | 2:04.9719 | +0.8627 | 12 |
| 13 | 7 | Andre Heimgartner | Nissan Motorsport | Nissan Altima L33 | 2:05.0357 | +0.9265 | 13 |
| 14 | 11 | Rick Kelly | Nissan Motorsport | Nissan Altima L33 | 2:05.0644 | +0.9552 | 14 |
| 15 | 12 | Fabian Coulthard | DJR Team Penske | Ford Falcon FG X | 2:05.1789 | +1.0696 | 15 |
| 16 | 23 | Michael Caruso | Nissan Motorsport | Nissan Altima L33 | 2:05.3195 | +1.2102 | 16 |
| 17 | 56 | Richie Stanaway | Tickford Racing | Ford Falcon FG X | 2:05.4607 | +1.3514 | 17 |
| 18 | 2 | Scott Pye | Walkinshaw Andretti United | Holden Commodore ZB | 2:05.4655 | +1.3562 | 18 |
| 19 | 5 | Mark Winterbottom | Tickford Racing | Ford Falcon FG X | 2:05.5106 | +1.4013 | 19 |
| 20 | 14 | Tim Slade | Brad Jones Racing | Holden Commodore ZB | 2:05.5656 | +1.4563 | 20 |
| 21 | 18 | Lee Holdsworth | Team 18 | Holden Commodore ZB | 2:05.7075 | +1.5982 | 21 |
| 22 | 21 | Tim Blanchard | Tim Blanchard Racing | Holden Commodore ZB | 2:05.8433 | +1.7340 | 22 |
| 23 | 35 | Todd Hazelwood | Matt Stone Racing | Holden Commodore VF | 2:06.0375 | +1.9283 | 23 |
| 24 | 230 | Will Davison | 23Red Racing | Ford Falcon FG X | 2:06.0429 | +1.9336 | 24 |
| 25 | 19 | Jack Le Brocq | Tekno Autosports | Holden Commodore ZB | 2:06.1324 | +2.0232 | 25 |
| 26 | 78 | Simona de Silvestro | Nissan Motorsport | Nissan Altima L33 | 2:06.4374 | +2.3281 | 26 |
| Source: ||||||||

### Top 10 Shootout

| Pos. | No. | Driver | Team | Car | Time | Gap | Grid |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | 9 | David Reynolds | Erebus Motorsport | Holden Commodore ZB | 2:04.0589 | | 1 |
| 2 | 1 | Jamie Whincup | Triple Eight Race Engineering | Holden Commodore ZB | 2:04.0683 | +0.0094 | 2 |
| 3 | 99 | Anton de Pasquale | Erebus Motorsport | Holden Commodore ZB | 2:04.3498 | +0.2909 | 3 |
| 4 | 97 | Shane van Gisbergen | Triple Eight Race Engineering | Holden Commodore ZB | 2:04.5385 | +0.4796 | 4 |
| 5 | 17 | Scott McLaughlin | DJR Team Penske | Ford Falcon FG X | 2:04.5494 | +0.4905 | 5 |
| 6 | 6 | Cameron Waters | Tickford Racing | Ford Falcon FG X | 2:04.7517 | +0.6928 | 6 |
| 7 | 8 | Nick Percat | Brad Jones Racing | Holden Commodore ZB | 2:04.7673 | +0.7084 | 7 |
| 8 | 25 | James Courtney | Walkinshaw Andretti United | Holden Commodore ZB | 2:05.0034 | +0.9445 | 8 |
| 9 | 888 | Craig Lowndes | Triple Eight Race Engineering | Holden Commodore ZB | 2:05.0835 | +1.0246 | 9 |
| 10 | 33 | Garth Tander | Garry Rogers Motorsport | Holden Commodore ZB | 2:05.1717 | +1.1128 | 10 |
| Source: ||||||||

### Race

| Pos. | No. | Driver | Team | Car | Laps | Time/Retired | Grid | Points |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | 888 | Craig Lowndes Steven Richards | Triple Eight Race Engineering | Holden Commodore ZB | 161 | 6:01:44.8637 | 9 | 300 |
| 2 | 2 | Scott Pye Warren Luff | Walkinshaw Andretti United | Holden Commodore ZB | 161 | +6.292 | 18 | 276 |
| 3 | 17 | Scott McLaughlin Alexandre Prémat | DJR Team Penske | Ford Falcon FG X | 161 | +9.408 | 5 | 258 |
| 4 | 55 | Chaz Mostert James Moffat | Tickford Racing | Ford Falcon FG X | 161 | +10.253 | 11 | 240 |
| 5 | 97 | Shane van Gisbergen Earl Bamber | Triple Eight Race Engineering | Holden Commodore ZB | 161 | +27.421 | 4 | 222 |
| 6 | 33 | Garth Tander Chris Pither | Garry Rogers Motorsport | Holden Commodore ZB | 161 | +30.010 | 10 | 204 |
| 7 | 8 | Nick Percat Macauley Jones | Brad Jones Racing | Holden Commodore ZB | 161 | +36.542 | 7 | 192 |
| 8 | 34 | James Golding Richard Muscat | Garry Rogers Motorsport | Holden Commodore ZB | 161 | +37.233 | 12 | 180 |
| 9 | 12 | Fabian Coulthard Tony D'Alberto | DJR Team Penske | Ford Falcon FG X | 161 | +47.112 | 15 | 168 |
| 10 | 1 | Jamie Whincup Paul Dumbrell | Triple Eight Race Engineering | Holden Commodore ZB | 161 | +56.433 | 2 | 156 |
| 11 | 11 | Rick Kelly Garry Jacobson | Nissan Motorsport | Nissan Altima L33 | 161 | +1:19.074 | 14 | 144 |
| 12 | 5 | Mark Winterbottom Dean Canto | Tickford Racing | Ford Falcon FG X | 161 | +1:35.009 | 19 | 138 |
| 13 | 9 | David Reynolds Luke Youlden | Erebus Motorsport | Holden Commodore ZB | 161 | +1:39.105 | 1 | 132 |
| 14 | 78 | Simona de Silvestro Alex Rullo | Nissan Motorsport | Nissan Altima L33 | 161 | +1:47.776 | 26 | 126 |
| 15 | 19 | Jack Le Brocq Jonathon Webb | Tekno Autosports | Holden Commodore ZB | 161 | +1:52.397 | 25 | 120 |
| 16 | 7 | Andre Heimgartner Aaren Russell | Nissan Motorsport | Nissan Altima L33 | 161 | +1:54.823 | 13 | 114 |
| 17 | 14 | Tim Slade Ashley Walsh | Brad Jones Racing | Holden Commodore ZB | 160 | +1 lap | 20 | 108 |
| 18 | 21 | Tim Blanchard Dale Wood | Tim Blanchard Racing | Holden Commodore ZB | 159 | +2 laps | 22 | 102 |
| 19 | 230 | Will Davison Alex Davison | 23Red Racing | Ford Falcon FG X | 159 | +2 laps | 24 | 96 |
| 20 | 35 | Todd Hazelwood Bryce Fullwood | Matt Stone Racing | Holden Commodore VF | 159 | +2 laps | 23 | 90 |
| 21 | 18 | Lee Holdsworth Jason Bright | Team 18 | Holden Commodore ZB | 157 | +4 laps | 21 | 84 |
| 22 | 56 | Richie Stanaway Steve Owen | Tickford Racing | Ford Falcon FG X | 152 | +9 laps | 17 | 78 |
| 23 | 6 | Cameron Waters David Russell | Tickford Racing | Ford Falcon FG X | 148 | +13 laps | 6 | 72 |
| 24 | 99 | Anton de Pasquale Will Brown | Erebus Motorsport | Holden Commodore ZB | 143 | +18 laps | 3 | 66 |
| NC | 23 | Michael Caruso Dean Fiore | Nissan Motorsport | Nissan Altima L33 | 69 | Accident | 16 | |
| NC | 25 | James Courtney Jack Perkins | Walkinshaw Andretti United | Holden Commodore ZB | 33 | Mechanical | 8 | |
| Source: |||||||||

### Championship standings after Race 25

| Pos | Driver | Pts | Gap |
| - | - | - | - |
| 1 | Shane van Gisbergen | 3276 | |
| 2 | Scott McLaughlin | 3257 | -19 |
| 3 | Jamie Whincup | 2872 | -404 |
| 4 | Craig Lowndes | 2787 | -489 |
| 5 | David Reynolds | 2567 | -709 |
| | Pos | Team | Pts | Gap |
| | 1 | Triple Eight Race Engineering (1, 97) | 6117 | |
| | 2 | DJR Team Penske | 5539 | -578 |
| | 3 | Tickford Racing (5, 55) | 4066 | -2051 |
| 1 | 4 | Brad Jones Racing | 3921 | -2196 |
| 1 | 5 | Erebus Motorsport | 3886 | -2262 |
| | Pos | Drivers | Pts | Gap |
| 2 | 1 | Craig Lowndes Steven Richards | 558 | |
| | 2 | Shane van Gisbergen Earl Bamber | 498 | -60 |
| 1 | 3 | Scott McLaughlin Alexandre Prémat | 498 | -60 |
| 2 | 4 | Scott Pye Warren Luff | 480 | -78 |
| 4 | 5 | Jamie Whincup Paul Dumbrell | 456 | -102 |

* Note: Only the top five positions are included for three sets of standings.
