November date tipped for Bathurst International

Organisers are this week set to confirm a November date for the inaugural Bathurst International to be held at Mount Panorama this year.

The new event will see a two-driver 500 kilometre TCR endurance race at the Mountain, supported by the likes of S5000, LMP3 prototypes, TA2, and heritage touring cars.

Speedcafe.com understands that event promoters, the Australian Racing Group and joint venture partners the Bathurst Regional Council, and Motorsport Australia, are close to signing off on a November date.

That could see the event confirmed as early as this weekend after the event was first announced last November.

The only date in November that would seem unlikely is the 26-29th weekend with Challenge Bathurst set to occupy that slot.

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“We are very close to announcing the date,” ARG CEO Matt Braid told Speedcafe.com.

“The interest that we are receiving on a daily basis from teams, drivers, fans and officials about our race is phenomenal.

“We knew that this concept would be popular, but we have been blown away.

“Once the date is announced, we’ll have a range of other initiatives to confirm.”

A desire to ensure the event slotted into the global motorsport calendar has previously been cited as the reason for the delay in landing on a date.

Last month the World Motor Sport Council ratified the 2020 World TCR calendar, adding a key component in confirming a date for the event.