Falcon tribute planned for Bathurst

Supercars will pay tribute to the Falcon at the Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000 as the Blue Oval prepares to welcome the Mustang to the grid in 2019.

A Falcon tribute is among the off-track drawcards for this year’s October 4-7 event, the second leg of the PIRTEK Enduro Cup, for which a formal launch will be held in Sydney on Thursday.

Supercars’ general manager of events, Phil Shaw said the Falcon tribute will be a focal point of the Bathurst paddock area.

Falcon's first win came in 1967

“We’re working with historian Aaron Noonan to pull together a collection of 10 Falcons from the history of the event,” Shaw told Supercars.com.

“The cars will be on display in the paddock at Bathurst, alongside the Legends and Heroes-themed vehicles, which were a popular addition last year.

“History is always a big part of any Bathurst event, but it will be extra special this year, paying tribute to the Falcon.”

The Falcon has flown the Ford flag at Bathurst since 1967, apart from the Group A years of 1985-1992, when the Mustang and then Sierra took up the mantle.

The 1977 one-two is for many Falcon's finest Bathurst moment

Its Bathurst win tally currently sits at 14, stretching from victory in 1967 with Fred Gibson and Harry Firth to Chaz Mostert and Paul Morris’ victory for Tickford Racing in 2014.

Eighteen drivers have won the race in Falcons, with four-time winner Allan Moffat the biggest contributor, including leading his team’s famous one-two finish in 1977.

In the modern era, a hat-track for Craig Lowndes and Jamie Whincup from 2006-08 makes the duo the standout achievers.

Tickford Racing delivered the Falcon its two most-recent wins, in 2013 and '14, both with the FG model, while the current FG X is still looking for its first victory.

Falcon Bathurst winners