News

23 November 2011 | General

HQ Holdens switch to Endurance Mode

HQ HOLDENS will take to Mount Panorama in two, one-hour endurance races as part of their debut at the 2012 Bathurst Motor Festival on April 6-8 next year.

A full field of cars from Australia’s most successful and long-lived one-make category will take to the mountain and provide all of their regular entertainment, but now in longer doses and with compulsory pit stops to further spice up the action.

The Event will be open to single or two-driver combinations however each car will be required to take a timed pit stop regardless of driver line-up. Category Management are expecting big grids and the potential for some surprise driver line-ups to join the grid for the Easter long weekend Event next year.

Bathurst Motor Festival HQ Holden Category Manager Dale Youd said the concept was designed to deliver HQ Holden competitors something different from their usual sprint-racing format seen in previous Bathurst visits.

“It’s a great opportunity for us to do something different,” Youd explained.

“When the promoters contacted us with the opportunity to be part of this Event we jumped at it – it’s the only opportunity for us to be able to do two, one-hour races at Bathurst which is something new and exciting for HQ Racing.”

Youd said there were already plenty of people talking about how they were going to approach the weekend.

“We have had one group talking about entering an all-female driving team, whilst others are talking to some ‘name’ drivers to join in. So there should be a lot of variety and some great stories throughout the weekend.

“Our aim is to make it a fun weekend for competitors and a real family affair given it will be Easter.”

HQ competitors are familiar to endurance-style racing. An annual highlight of their season is the annual Winton four-hour (2x two-hour races), amongst other longer races contested throughout the year in both state and national-level competition.

The category is famous for big fields, affordability and entertaining racing throughout the grid and continues to attract large numbers across Australia – with strong representation in most states continuing.

Youd said the cars would have no dramas negotiating Mount Panorama’s 6.213 kilometres of twists, turns and undulations for an hour at a time.

“The cars will run for two hours on fuel at Winton, so Bathurst won’t be a problem despite a higher fuel usage thanks to the faster track. It will test the brakes, but Bathurst has plenty of long straights to help cool them.” He explained.

“Reliability is not a drama so the key will be down to the drivers and the conditions on the day. It should be great fun and we’re confident the HQ’s will be a great part of the weekend’s entertainment for the Bathurst Motor Festival.”

The two, one-hour HQ Racing Enduros will join the FW1 Aussie Racing Car Series, the historic debut of Formula 3 at Mount Panorama, Production Sports Cars and the New South Wales Road Racing Club regularity competition at the 2012 Bathurst Motor Festival.