Bathurst Bans Camping

Four thousand.

That’s the bottom line on the spectator limit for the Bathurst 1000 as Supercars cancels all camping for 2020.

The horrifying news for Bathurst regulars, including the many thousands who make an annual pilgrimage to Mount Panorama, comes as Supercars also announces the start of ticket sales for The Great Race, with priority for existing tick holders.

The only opportunity for spectators is through reserved seating spaces at the bottom of the mountain, in the area from Murray’s Corner through pit straight to Hell Corner.

The final attendance figure comes after months of consultation with the NSW government over the safe spectator limit at The Great Race.

It mirrors the numbers for the recent Townsville street races, despite growing attendances at football matches in a variety of locations.

“We are disappointed that we can’t have a full crowd at Bathurst,” says the CEO of Supercars, Sean Seamer.

“We understand a number of fans will be disappointed that camping and normal ticketing opportunities are not available this year, however the safety of everyone attending the event is our main concern at all times.

“ We’re delighted to offer even limited attendance. A racetrack like Mount Panorama is not as easy as a stadium to prepare in a COVID-19 compliant way due to the lack of dedicated seating.”

The final plan for Bathurst is welcomed by the mayor of Bathurst Regional Council, Bobby Bourke.

“Council is pleased that the 2020 event is able to proceed and while it will look very different to previous years with limited crowd numbers, we appreciate the work that has gone into planning for a COVID-safe event by Supercars and the various government agencies,” he says.

“We look forward to welcoming the teams and a small number of fans to Bathurst for the event and sharing the excitement of the event with thousands of others who will be joining us from their lounge rooms.”

Supercars says existing tick holders will be given the choice of rolling their 2020 ticket into the 2021 event or refund under the normal Ticket process.