BMW Won Australia’s Bathurst 12 Hour Race

Despite rain, fog and even a large fallen tree, team Eastern Creek International Karts managed to win the Armo All Bathurst 12 Hour at Mount Panorama, Australia’s longest motor race, staged for showroom-standard popular cars with only safety-related modifications.

After 202 laps and 1254.4 kilometers, the team formed of Gary Holt, Paul Morris and John Bowe managed to cross the finish line first in its BMW 335i. Morris, the man who was behind the wheel at the end of the race, also won this challenge alongside Holt back in 2007, driving the same car.

At first, the pace was set by the all-wheel drive Mitsubishis and very few people believed that the rear-wheel drive BMW stood any chances of getting the first place. But the team took the lead after Bowe went behind the wheel and managed to recover 2 minutes and 40 seconds - effectively a full lap in the wet conditions. As Bowe finished his run in the applause of its pit crew, Morris stepped in. He had just enough fuel and tires to finish the race without stopping.

Bowe said: “It was an interesting day. I’ve been coming here for 25 years I suppose and I’ve never seen a tree fall down before and the chainsaws come out.

“I don’t think I’ve ever been through so many things – (such as) races stopped. They say you can turn the car off; there were guys getting out, going to the toilet, getting back in again. That’s pretty unusual.”