Well the races on speedvision back in the day were condensed...
The condensed coverage we got of Supercars circa 2004-2005 albeit QUITE condensed, gave me my first look at the Bathurst 1000. A one hour presentation of the Great Race. The first time they went up through Griffins Bend, then the Cutting, and across the top and down, my jaw was in my lap. I had heard about this race in the early/mid-90s when Dick Johnson came over to the States and ran a couple of NASCAR road races in the Redcote Ford but that was it until then. Media/internet coverage was simply not there for us. The announcers spoke of the Bathurst 1000 and its place in Australian motorsport, and I always remembered that.
So when it comes to Bathurst, THAT condensed version from the mid 2000s was the moment this Yank became hooked on Supercars. I have since learned more and more about it, the drivers, the cars, and the series.
Yams and I may have gotten a bit off topic with our Yank banter, but I think I just may have gotten us back between the ditches for this thread. Let us continue on, talk about Bathurst, and possibly throw some spoliers out there. 
Back into the ditch...
I grew up in the (American) south with a Nascar loving dad. I discovered V8s in about 2005 on Speedvision. I used to drive home from work on my lunch break just to watch you crazy Aussies race on TV because mid-week and mid-day was when it was broadcast here.
I would tell people " you gotta watch, those f'ers will take each other out racing for 23rd place on lap 1 of a 161 lap race".
By contrast, the Nascar equivalent of Bathurst is the Daytona 500. For any of you who have never seen it, it was 459 miles of follow the leader and one lap of racing. At least it was that way the last time I saw it 30 years ago.
Back on topic...
Will it rain this year? Bathurst is always better in the rain.
