Motorsport: Things you didn't know about Bathurst

Think your Commodore is quick? Greg Murphy's awe-inspiring pole position lap in 2003 of 2m 06.8594s remains the fastest ever on the 6.213km Mt Panorama circuit.

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Holden is aiming for a record seventh successive victory in the Super Cheap Auto 1000, a feat never before achieved. Holdens have claimed the chequered flag 24 times, 10 more than Ford. Nissan won twice and Ford, Morris, BMW and Volvo once.

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The race record still stands at 6h 19m 14.8s, set by Mark Skaife and Jim Richards in a Nissan GTR in 1991. Last year's race time by winners Greg Murphy and Rick Kelly was 6h 29m 36.2s. The 1991 time was achieved without the intervention of safety cars, so this figure is unlikely to be broken.

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Since grid positions were first determined by qualifying times in 1967, just three cars have won the race after starting outside the top 10. The last was Murphy/Steven Richards (1999), who qualified 12th.

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Last year's event had the closest ever gap between first and second on the grid. Pole man Steven Richards outpointed Jason Bright by 0.0012s.

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Driving for the Holden Racing Team this year alongside James Courtney, Jim Richards will be making his 34th start, a record. It is a record, with the twice-retired Peter Brock next best on 32 appearances.

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The maximum speed at Bathurst for the V8 Supercars is 288km/h, recorded at the end of ConRod Straight. This year series organisers Avesco have allowed the teams to run a longer diff ratio, meaning the cars aren't as likely to hit their 7500rpm rev limiters as much and could reach even greater speeds.

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The straight is 1.645km long.

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With 55 per cent of a lap of Bathurst spent on full throttle in a V8 Supercar, the cars will use 580 litres over the course of 1000km. They will burn 3.6l per lap.

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The Top 10 Shootout, which determines the final starting grid for the race, was run for the first time in 1978.

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Only 10 times in the history of Bathurst (including the two races held in the years 1997 and 1998) has the pole-sitting car gone on to win the race, the last time in 2003 with drivers Greg Murphy and Rick Kelly.

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No all-international crew has won the Bathurst 1000. The closest one has come was Briton Jeff Allam and Kiwi Paul Radisich, who finished second in 1990.

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Originally opened as a scenic tourist drive, Mt Panorama was first used as a race circuit in 1938. It has hosted numerous events in addition to the Bathurst 1000 including the Australian Grand Prix and Easter Motorcycle Grands Prix.