2020 Bathurst 1000
# 2020 Bathurst 1000

The 2020 Bathurst 1000 (formally known as the 2020 Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000) was a motor racing event for Supercars that was held on the weekend of 15–18 October 2020. It was held at the Mount Panorama Circuit in Bathurst, New South Wales, Australia and featured a single 1000 kilometre race. The event was the final race of the 2020 Supercars Championship and the final time Supercheap Auto was the naming rights sponsor, having been so since 2005, as United States-based Genuine Parts Company has acquired naming rights for both the Supercars Championship and the Bathurst 1000 starting in 2021. This was the first Bathurst 1000 in history to run with a limited crowd capacity, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

After a qualifying session held on the Friday, the top 10 drivers from that session competed in the shootout where Cameron Waters from Tickford Racing claim the pole position with a time of 2:03.5592. In the race, driver pairing, Shane Van Gisbergen and Garth Tander from Triple Eight Race Engineering who started in fourth place won the race with Van Gisbergen winning his first Bathurst 1000 and Tander his fourth. Cameron Waters and Will Davison from Tickford Racing finished in second, with Walkinshaw Andretti United's Chaz Mostert and Warren Luff completing the podium in third.

Following this, Scott McLaughlin who finished fifth in the race would win his third Supercars drivers' championship finishing 451 points ahead of Waters with Van Gisbergen finishing in third. In the teams' championship, DJR Team Penske claimed the title, finishing 262 points ahead of Triple Eight, with Tickford Racing rounding out the top three.

## Report

### Background and impact of the COVID-19 pandemic

The event was the 63rd 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 marks the 60th time that the race was held at Mount Panorama. It was the 24th 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.

This was the first time since 2000 that the race was also the final round of the championship.

The 2019 winners of the race were Scott McLaughlin and Alexandre Prémat, though Premat, a Clark County, Nevada (United States) resident who is the lead instructor at driving school for premium sportscars there, was unable to compete in the race due to border restrictions imposed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia.

### Entry list

Twenty-five cars were entered in the event – 17 Holden Commodores and eight Ford Mustangs, the smallest entry list in the events' history and the first Ford and Holden-only race since 2012. In addition to the 24 regular entries, there was a single 'Wildcard' entry from the Garry Rogers Motorsport team for débutants Tyler Everingham and Jayden Ojeda from the Super2 Series. GRM had originally planned for Nathan Herne from the Australian TA2 Racing Series to race in place of Ojeda, however Herne's entry was blocked as Motorsport Australia denied him the required licence. Seven drivers made their debuts in the race – Everingham and Ojeda, championship driver Zane Goddard, Australian and World TCR driver Dylan O'Keeffe, former Super2 driver Kurt Kostecki, and current Super2 drivers Jordan Boys and Broc Feeney. With 45 Australians and 5 New Zealanders in the line-up, it marked the first grid made up of solely Antipodean drivers since 1964.

| No. | Drivers | Team (Sponsors) | Car | No. | Drivers | Team (Sponsors) | Car |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 2 | Bryce Fullwood Kurt Kostecki | Walkinshaw Andretti United (Middy's Electrical) | Holden Commodore ZB | 19 | Alex Davison Jonathon Webb | Team Sydney (Local Legends Jerky Biltong) | Holden Commodore ZB |
| 3 | Macauley Jones Tim Blanchard | Tim Blanchard Racing (CoolDrive) | Holden Commodore ZB | 20 | Scott Pye Dean Fiore | Team 18 (DeWalt) | Holden Commodore ZB |
| 4 | Jack Smith Jack Perkins | Brad Jones Racing (SCT Logistics) | Holden Commodore ZB | 22 | Chris Pither Steve Owen | Team Sydney (Coca-Cola) | Holden Commodore ZB |
| 5 | Lee Holdsworth Michael Caruso | Tickford Racing (Truck Assist) | Ford Mustang GT | 25 | Chaz Mostert Warren Luff | Walkinshaw Andretti United (Appliances Online) | Holden Commodore ZB |
| 6 | Cameron Waters Will Davison | Tickford Racing (Monster Energy) | Ford Mustang GT | 34 | Zane Goddard Jake Kostecki | Matt Stone Racing (Unit Workwear) | Holden Commodore ZB |
| 7 | Andre Heimgartner Dylan O'Keeffe | Kelly Racing (Ned Whisky) | Ford Mustang GT | 35 | Garry Jacobson David Russell | Matt Stone Racing (YellowCover) | Holden Commodore ZB |
| 8 | Nick Percat Thomas Randle | Brad Jones Racing (R+J Batteries) | Holden Commodore ZB | 40 | Tyler Everingham Jayden Ojeda | Garry Rogers Motorsport (Valvoline, LMCT+) | Holden Commodore ZB |
| 9 | David Reynolds Will Brown | Erebus Motorsport (Penrite) | Holden Commodore ZB | 44 | James Courtney Broc Feeney | Tickford Racing (Boost Mobile) | Ford Mustang GT |
| 12 | Fabian Coulthard Tony D'Alberto | DJR Team Penske (Shell V-Power) | Ford Mustang GT | 55 | Jack Le Brocq James Moffat | Tickford Racing (Supercheap Auto) | Ford Mustang GT |
| 14 | Todd Hazelwood Jordan Boys | Brad Jones Racing (Cub Cadet Lawnmowers) | Holden Commodore ZB | 97 | Shane van Gisbergen Garth Tander | Triple Eight Race Engineering (Red Bull, Holden) | Holden Commodore ZB |
| 15 | Rick Kelly Dale Wood | Kelly Racing (Castrol) | Ford Mustang GT | 99 | Anton de Pasquale Brodie Kostecki | Erebus Motorsport (Penrite) | Holden Commodore ZB |
| 17 | Scott McLaughlin Tim Slade | DJR Team Penske (Shell V-Power) | Ford Mustang GT | 888 | Jamie Whincup Craig Lowndes | Triple Eight Race Engineering (Red Bull, Holden) | Holden Commodore ZB |
| 18 | Mark Winterbottom James Golding | Team 18 (Irwin Tools) | Holden Commodore ZB | | | | |
| Source: |||||||||

Entries with a grey background are wildcard entries which do not compete in the full championship season.

## Results

### Practice

Practice summary :

| Session | Day | Time | Fastest lap | Fastest lap | Fastest lap | Fastest lap | Fastest lap | Fastest lap | Fastest lap |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Session | Day | Time | No. | Driver | Team | Car | Time | Cond. | Ref. |
| Practice 1 | Thursday | 0930–1030 | 6 | Cameron Waters | Tickford Racing | Ford Mustang GT | 2:05.0233 | Fine | |
| Practice 2 | Thursday | 1245–1345 | 55 | James Moffat | Tickford Racing | Ford Mustang GT | 2:06.0584 | Fine | |
| Practice 3 | Thursday | 1600–1700 | 6 | Cameron Waters | Tickford Racing | Ford Mustang GT | 2:04.1696 | Fine | |
| Practice 4 | Friday | 0945–1055 | 6 | Will Davison | Tickford Racing | Ford Mustang GT | 2:05.0667 | Heavy cloud | |
| Practice 5 | Friday | 1210–1310 | 17 | Scott McLaughlin | DJR Team Penske | Ford Mustang GT | 2:04.3716 | Patchy cloud | |
| Practice 6 | Saturday | 0910-1010 | 25 | Warren Luff | Walkinshaw Andretti United | Holden Commodore ZB | 2:05.4597 | Fine | |
| Practice 7 | Saturday | 1135–1235 | 6 | Cameron Waters | Tickford Racing | Ford Mustang GT | 2:04.3493 | Fine | |
| Warm-Up | Sunday | 0840-0900 | 7 | Andre Heimgartner | Kelly Racing | Ford Mustang GT | 2:05.3195 | Fine | |

### Qualifying

| Pos. | No. | Driver | Team | Car | Time | Gap | Grid |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | 5 | Lee Holdsworth | Tickford Racing | Ford Mustang GT | 2:04.0242 | | Top 10 |
| 2 | 97 | Shane van Gisbergen | Triple Eight Race Engineering | Holden Commodore ZB | 2:04.0351 | +0.0108 | Top 10 |
| 3 | 17 | Scott McLaughlin | DJR Team Penske | Ford Mustang GT | 2:04.1035 | +0.0792 | Top 10 |
| 4 | 6 | Cameron Waters | Tickford Racing | Ford Mustang GT | 2:04.1056 | +0.0813 | Top 10 |
| 5 | 888 | Jamie Whincup | Triple Eight Race Engineering | Holden Commodore ZB | 2:04.2660 | +0.2417 | Top 10 |
| 6 | 12 | Fabian Coulthard | DJR Team Penske | Ford Mustang GT | 2:04.2813 | +0.2571 | Top 10 |
| 7 | 99 | Anton de Pasquale | Erebus Motorsport | Holden Commodore ZB | 2:04.4668 | +0.4425 | Top 10 |
| 8 | 25 | Chaz Mostert | Walkinshaw Andretti United | Holden Commodore ZB | 2:04.4936 | +0.4693 | Top 10 |
| 9 | 44 | James Courtney | Tickford Racing | Ford Mustang GT | 2:04.5485 | +0.5242 | Top 10 |
| 10 | 8 | Nick Percat | Brad Jones Racing | Holden Commodore ZB | 2:04.5539 | +0.5296 | Top 10 |
| 11 | 2 | Bryce Fullwood | Walkinshaw Andretti United | Holden Commodore ZB | 2:04.6050 | +0.5807 | 11 |
| 12 | 20 | Scott Pye | Team 18 | Holden Commodore ZB | 2:04.6320 | +0.6077 | 12 |
| 13 | 9 | David Reynolds | Erebus Motorsport | Holden Commodore ZB | 2:04.6730 | +0.6487 | 13 |
| 14 | 7 | Andre Heimgartner | Kelly Racing | Ford Mustang GT | 2:04.8529 | +0.8287 | 14 |
| 15 | 55 | Jack Le Brocq | Tickford Racing | Ford Mustang GT | 2:04.9054 | +0.8811 | 15 |
| 16 | 14 | Todd Hazelwood | Brad Jones Racing | Holden Commodore ZB | 2:04.9729 | +0.9486 | 16 |
| 17 | 3 | Macauley Jones | Tim Blanchard Racing | Holden Commodore ZB | 2:05.0374 | +1.0131 | 17 |
| 18 | 18 | Mark Winterbottom | Team 18 | Holden Commodore ZB | 2:05.1731 | +1.1489 | 18 |
| 19 | 15 | Rick Kelly | Kelly Racing | Ford Mustang GT | 2:05.2592 | +1.2349 | 19 |
| 20 | 19 | Alex Davison | Team Sydney | Holden Commodore ZB | 2:05.3322 | +1.3079 | 20 |
| 21 | 35 | Garry Jacobson | Matt Stone Racing | Holden Commodore ZB | 2:05.4141 | +1.3899 | 21 |
| 22 | 4 | Jack Smith | Brad Jones Racing | Holden Commodore ZB | 2:06.3498 | +2.3255 | 22 |
| 23 | 22 | Chris Pither | Team Sydney | Holden Commodore ZB | 2:06.3535 | +2.3292 | 23 |
| 24 | 40 | Tyler Everingham | Garry Rogers Motorsport | Holden Commodore ZB | 2:06.6812 | +2.657 | 24 |
| 25 | 34 | Jake Kostecki | Matt Stone Racing | Holden Commodore ZB | 2:15.1542 | +11.1299 | 25 |
| Source ||||||||

### Top 10 Shootout

| Pos. | No. | Driver | Team | Car | Time | Gap | Grid |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | 6 | Cameron Waters | Tickford Racing | Ford Mustang GT | 2:03.5592 | | 1 |
| 2 | 17 | Scott McLaughlin | DJR Team Penske | Ford Mustang GT | 2:04.0020 | +0.4429 | 2 |
| 3 | 25 | Chaz Mostert | Walkinshaw Andretti United | Holden Commodore ZB | 2:04.0100 | +0.4508 | 3 |
| 4 | 97 | Shane van Gisbergen | Triple Eight Race Engineering | Holden Commodore ZB | 2:04.4511 | +0.8919 | 4 |
| 5 | 5 | Lee Holdsworth | Tickford Racing | Ford Mustang GT | 2:04.6765 | +1.1173 | 5 |
| 6 | 99 | Anton de Pasquale | Erebus Motorsport | Holden Commodore ZB | 2:04.7768 | +1.2096 | 6 |
| 7 | 12 | Fabian Coulthard | DJR Team Penske | Ford Mustang GT | 2:04.8533 | +1.2942 | 7 |
| 8 | 44 | James Courtney | Tickford Racing | Ford Mustang GT | 2:05.3549 | +1.7957 | 8 |
| 9 | 888 | Jamie Whincup | Triple Eight Race Engineering | Holden Commodore ZB | 2:06.3940 | +2.8349 | 9 |
| DSQ | 8 | Nick Percat | Brad Jones Racing | Holden Commodore ZB | 0:00.0000 | n/a | 10 |
| Source: ||||||||

### Race

| Pos. | No. | Drivers | Team | Car | Laps | Time/Retired | Grid | Points |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | 97 | Shane van Gisbergen Garth Tander | Triple Eight Race Engineering | Holden Commodore ZB | 161 | 6:10:56.1143 | 4 | 300 |
| 2 | 6 | Cameron Waters Will Davison | Tickford Racing | Ford Mustang GT | 161 | +0.866 | 1 | 276 |
| 3 | 25 | Chaz Mostert Warren Luff | Walkinshaw Andretti United | Holden Commodore ZB | 161 | +1.609 | 3 | 258 |
| 4 | 12 | Fabian Coulthard Tony D'Alberto | DJR Team Penske | Ford Mustang GT | 161 | +2.162 | 7 | 240 |
| 5 | 17 | Scott McLaughlin Tim Slade | DJR Team Penske | Ford Mustang GT | 161 | +2.711 | 2 | 222 |
| 6 | 20 | Scott Pye Dean Fiore | Team 18 | Holden Commodore ZB | 161 | +3.969 | 12 | 204 |
| 7 | 5 | Lee Holdsworth Michael Caruso | Tickford Racing | Ford Mustang GT | 161 | +4.734 | 5 | 192 |
| 8 | 18 | Mark Winterbottom James Golding | Team 18 | Holden Commodore ZB | 161 | +6.138 | 18 | 180 |
| 9 | 99 | Anton De Pasquale Brodie Kostecki | Erebus Motorsport | Holden Commodore ZB | 161 | +7.645 | 6 | 168 |
| 10 | 44 | James Courtney Broc Feeney | Tickford Racing | Ford Mustang GT | 161 | +7.716 | 8 | 156 |
| 11 | 7 | Andre Heimgartner Dylan O'Keeffe | Kelly Racing | Ford Mustang GT | 161 | +8.090 | 14 | 144 |
| 12 | 19 | Alex Davison Jonathon Webb | Team Sydney | Holden Commodore ZB | 161 | +9.144 | 20 | 138 |
| 13 | 3 | Macauley Jones Tim Blanchard | Tim Blanchard Racing | Holden Commodore ZB | 161 | +9.458 | 17 | 132 |
| 14 | 55 | Jack Le Brocq James Moffat | Tickford Racing | Ford Mustang GT | 161 | +11.471 | 15 | 126 |
| 15 | 9 | David Reynolds Will Brown | Erebus Motorsport | Holden Commodore ZB | 160 | +1 Lap | 13 | 120 |
| 16 | 22 | Chris Pither Steve Owen | Team Sydney | Holden Commodore ZB | 159 | +2 Laps | 23 | 114 |
| 17 | 15 | Rick Kelly Dale Wood | Kelly Racing | Ford Mustang GT | 144 | +17 Laps | 19 | 108 |
| 18 | 8 | Nick Percat Thomas Randle | Brad Jones Racing | Holden Commodore ZB | 133 | +28 Laps | 10 | 102 |
| 19 | 40 | Tyler Everingham Jayden Ojeda | Garry Rogers Motorsport | Holden Commodore ZB | 121 | +40 Laps | 24 | 96 |
| Ret | 34 | Jake Kostecki Zane Goddard | Matt Stone Racing | Holden Commodore ZB | 155 | Accident | 25 | |
| Ret | 4 | Jack Smith Jack Perkins | Brad Jones Racing | Holden Commodore ZB | 149 | Accident | 22 | |
| Ret | 2 | Bryce Fullwood Kurt Kostecki | Walkinshaw Andretti United | Holden Commodore ZB | 147 | Accident | 11 | |
| Ret | 35 | Garry Jacobson David Russell | Matt Stone Racing | Holden Commodore ZB | 62 | Engine | 21 | |
| Ret | 14 | Todd Hazelwood Jordan Boys | Brad Jones Racing | Holden Commodore ZB | 50 | Accident | 16 | |
| Ret | 888 | Jamie Whincup Craig Lowndes | Triple Eight Race Engineering | Holden Commodore ZB | 32 | Accident | 9 | |
