Supercars praises fan impact on Repco Bathurst 1000

This year's Repco Bathurst 1000 promises to be one of the most significant and dramatic yet, with The Finals set to take the Great Race to a new level.

Mount Panorama has been Mecca for Aussie race fans since 1963, with thousands making the pilgrimage into regional NSW to turn Bathurst into the centre of world motorsport.

Tribalism between the brands and their fans has been at the heart of what makes the Great Race special, and has been no different in recent years amid a new era for Supercars.

A total of 4.82 million fans have attended the event since 1995, with the 2024 event drawing over 193,000 fans. In recent years, the race has gone further, reaching fans through streaming and digital growth.

The 2025 event was launched in Sydney overnight, with Supercars Chief Executive James Warburton highlighting the impact the fans have had on the race, both trackside and from around the world.

"None of us own the sport, it’s the passionate fans who vote with their feet, wallets and eyeballs that make Supercars and Bathurst unlike anywhere else in the world,” Warburton said.

"And don’t they do that? They do it in droves, with the Repco Bathurst 1000 contributing $55 million of economic stimulus into the NSW economy, making it one of Australia’s largest annual events, easily alongside the world’s best races.

"It’s viewed by a peak audience of 5.2 million people in Australia alone and has a massive digital footprint with just under 15 million minutes of video consumed and a social reach of over 30 million."

The Repco Bathurst 1000 is among the likes of the AFL Grand Final, NRL Grand Final, State of Origin, Melbourne Cup, Australian Open tennis and Test cricket in drawing major TV and digital numbers.

While there are 13 rounds in the overall championship story, Warburton maintained that Bathurst "remains the beating heart" of Supercars, with the future looking bright with the introduction of Toyota in 2026.

Warburton also hailed the efforts of reigning Bathurst champion team Erebus Motorsport, which captured its second victory last October at the hands of Brodie Kostecki and Todd Hazelwood, who will defend their win with Dick Johnson Racing.

"We should also recognise Betty Klimenko and Barry Ryan from Erebus Motorsport as last year’s winners as well as superstar drivers Brodie Kostecki and Todd Hazlewood, isn’t it so fitting that a Chiko roll liveried Chevrolet Camaro would win Bathurst,” Warburton added.

"Bathurst remains the beating heart of our sport and tonight is about celebrating our incredible history, and our step into a future that couldn't be brighter."

Tickets for the 2025 Repco Bathurst 1000, on October 9-12, are on sale now. The Great Race follows the AirTouch 500 at The Bend, on September 12-14.