It's PC here, mate. I saw a journalist on what's on to their phone. I'm just double checking your V8 booth night at Bathurst on the Thursday night October 10th. I'm assuming it's still 7.30 kick off at the Bathurst Memorial Entertainment Center. Gabe, you recognize only need a toilet because I only get one person there, so you better double check that. Anyway, tell me a hell of a night, buddy. It's you and I session for over an hour with the fans as well. Guys, anything else you want? Careful what you wish for, mate. It's gonna be no hard bars. We'll have a few laughs, track a few jokes. You'll be boring. I'll be exciting. But that's okay. That's probably used to that. Anyway, oh, good mate. Look forward to it. Lots of stories, lots of bullshit. Should be a river of a night. Very good. Speak soon. A motorsport podcast network production. It's time for another RICO rewind on the V8 Sleuth podcast and today is October the 8th. An emotional day in the history of the Great Race at Bathurst as we look back to the 2006 Bathurst 1000. Of course, the first Peter Brock trophy race in the aftermath of the passing of the nighttime winner and that emotional victory, Craig Lounds, leading home Rick Kelly in a close finish, half a second at the line between the better electrical Falcon for AAA and the tall HSV dealer team Commodore. So much to unpack from the 2006 race, but when you look back on it, so many angles, so many elements. Of course, it started at the beginning of that day with Craig driving the Peter Brock 72 Tarana in the parade of his cars in tears, almost to the point, well, not almost. Actually, at the point where Roland Dain said, "Mate, if you don't want to start the race, we'll put Jamie Wink up in." Of course, Craig famously said, "Nope, I'm driving. I'm starting the race." And that's what he did and he finished the job. But everyone talks about the Craig Lounds element of that '06 Bathurst win on this day back in '06, but Jamie Wink up played a massive part, put a critical move for the lead on Todd Kelly. And when you look back on it, that was the one that gave them the track position that allowed Craig to bring it home from there. What a great fight. Craig and Rick Kelly, nothing in it in those closing stages. Going blow for blow, stroke for stroke, corner for corner, gear change for gear change. There wasn't much in it, but in the end, Triple 8 won its first of now. Well, at this point in time that I record this on this very day, before the 2024 race, 10 wins now in the Bathurst 1000 for Triple 8. This was the first of those, and of course, that car restored to its Triple 8 better electrical livery is still around to this very day. So, Lounds will wink up the winners. The Kelly boys were second, but remember, Todd Kelly, co-driving for Rick Wozent, a toll-hsv dealer team driver during that year. The team, the Walkenshaw teams, had swapped drivers. So, Garth Tanner went to drive with Mark Skaff and, of course, history proves. And history shows that that lasted not very long. Skaffy, on pole position in the number two HR-T car, had clutch dramas, and was basically cooked on the run-up mountain straight lap one. He just got finished off by Jack Perkins, the young rookie in his first Bathurst 1000, who came across the limping HR-T car, unsighted wham, both of them out of the race in the early stages. It's also the end of the great race career on this day back in 2006 of one of its amazing champions, Jim Richards, the seven-time winner, the record holder, 35 starts across 33 years. Remember, there was two years with the V8s and the two leaders that he drove in both of those races, but he crashed the second HR-T car before the first pitstop. Ryan Briscoe didn't get any racing laps, and Jim decided, "Yep, that's a sign. I'm done." And he didn't do a farewell tour. He didn't announce it to the world. As he said, he just didn't come back the next year, but Jim Richards bringing an end to his great race career on this day. Another thing that springs in my mind, James Courtney and Glenn Seton on the podium for Stone Brothers in third place. Now, they started 11th on the grid to be able to do that, but to do that, they had to beat their teammates, the Caltechs car, Russell Ingle, Luke Yule, and in the end, the margin at the line was like 0.01 of a second. There was nothing in it. It was a bee's knee between which Stones Falcon was going to grab that final podium spot. At 12 cars were on the lead lap at the end of that race. 17 finishes, but there was, of all the numbers, 10 safety car periods that affected 45 laps. Basically, a quarter of the race was affected by the safety car. Of course, that had been a rough day at the office because Paul Radisich had had the massive crash in the Team Kiwi Commodore on the exit of the chase that saw him go head on into the wall. I spoke to Paul about that incident on the podcast earlier this year. If you haven't heard my episode with the rat Paul Radisich, go and have a listen because he goes in depth and in detail about not just the crash, but then what unfolded in the aftermath. Of course, he had another crash that finished off his professional racing career two years later in 2008. What else was there to look at from Bathast in '06 because there's so many other elements. The other thing that springs into my mind is a day of drama for Ford Performance Racing. They started on the front row of the grid with Jason Bright and Mark Winterbottom. They were the Sandown 500 winners, but they were done. Engine gone only completed 28 laps, and then the sister car of David Brabham and Matt Halliday didn't even make it to the halfway mark either. A crash for Cam McConville, super cheap Commodore with Greg Murphy across the top of the mountain. They'd had a stinking season, but were actually going pretty decently. They led 40 laps, which I think everyone probably forgets. They led more laps than any other car in the '06 Bathast 1000, other than the winning car of wind cup and Craig Lown. A lot of people would probably forget that scenario of what unfolded there, but they were out of the running. Jason Richards and Andrew Jones, the Tasman car, J.R. at the wheel and the closing stages, it ended up out of the race off at the chase. So many dramas for so many people, but some really good performances too, particularly from some unheralded names. I mean, Steve Owen was driving the Auto Barn car prepped by Marty Brandt for Rod Nash, the license holder. Tony Longhurst co-drive, and they finished seventh, which is a pretty good effort. And Nathan Pretty and Paul Wheel, the second super cheap car, they started last. They were 30th on the grid. They had to start down the back. So, and at one point, they got a pit lane penalty because they were the car that were involved. I think it was Nathan at the wheel when Radisich was bumped off the road on the exit of the chase. They did a pit lane penalty in this race and still came home 8th from 30th on the grid. They, I think, had crashed in practice and didn't set a qualifying or crashed in qualifying and hadn't had a time on the board. Either way, they finished 8th. Alex Davison and a young television chap named Grant Denier on his Bathurst debut finished 9th. But they could have been stronger too because I remember in the closing stages, Alex had the belts pop undone. And he had to pit to get that sorted. You can't drive around at Bathurst with your belts undone. So, a ninth place was still a really good result for those guys. And Jason Bhagwana and Craig Baird rounded out the 10 for WPS. So, strange old day. Plenty of stuff going on. And of course, it was in the aftermath of the Peter Brock accident and his death. And then there was the Paul cast over this event by the accident on Friday of Mark Porter and David Clark in the development series race. And of course, Mark Porter lost his life and was due to be in the 1000K race to drive with Dale Breed in the BOC, Brad Jones Falcon in the end. Michael Caruso made his Bathurst 1000 debuting. Obviously very difficult circumstances and stepped into the number 12 car to take the seat that Mark otherwise would have filled. So, there was a lot of emotion already on this day in 2006. And then it was just added to, wasn't it, in the aftermath of that victory for Craig Lounds, for Jamie Winkup. Of course, it was the start of the three Pete for Triple 8 at Bathurst in a period of domination where they just had such a fantastic run up there. But the first awarding of the Peter Brock trophy, and of course, it is the trophy ongoing in the race at Bathurst. The front row of the grid left vacant that day in honour of Peter Brock and that pre-race ceremony with his old cars on the track. And either Davies on the grid will live with us for a very, very long time. But thanks to RICO, our RICO rewind today takes us back to a magic amazing day at Bathurst in 2006. Craig Lounds, Jamie Winkup, the winners at Bathurst in the super cheap auto Bathurst 1000 as it was then known. Don't forget too, I love when we have people get involved with us. I love our listeners to get involved with the people who get involved with us. And RICO filters, RICOfilters.com.au, whether it's a regular service prepping for your road trip or looking for a filtration upgrade, you've got to trust that. RICO, you've got to trust them to get you going and get you ready. RICOfilters.com.au, a big thank you to them for supporting our RICO rewinds, a big thank you to you for tuning in. I hope this little drive down memory lane was as fun for you to listen to as it was for me to put together. I'm done, another RICO rewind coming for you very soon. More episodes of the V8 salute podcast as well. In the meantime, I'm Aaron Ereden. I'll catch you next time. The National Motor Racing Museum is a must-see if you're in the central west of New South Wales. It's on the outside of Murray's Corner at the famous Mount Panorama in Bathurst and celebrates the rich history of Australian motorsport. They're famous cars, bikes, memorabilia, so much to take in, including the spectacular immersive room. It gives you an amazing taste of the speed, the sound and the excitement of the mountain. The museums generally open six days a week and also during events, so visit their Facebook page or themuseumspathest.com.au website for further details. details. (gentle music)
