![The grid for the 2013 Bathurst 12 Hour](https://speedcafe.us/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/1_Bathurst-12-Hour-344x229.jpg)
Bathurst 12 Hour organisers have temporarily ceased taking entries for the 2014 event after an unprecedented level of early competitor interest.
A total of 44 cars have entered prior to the race’s ‘early bird’ entry fee discount offer expiring on August 1, seven more than at this time last year.
The current field includes 16 Class A GT3 cars, split between nine Australian and seven international outfits.
The visitors include event returnees AF Corse (Ferrari), Clearwater Racing (Ferrari) and United Autosports (Audi and McLaren), as well as newcomers Nissan Motorsports, Absolute Racing (Audi) and Haribo Racing (Audi).
Fears that other overseas squads who have expressed interest but not yet formally lodged an entry could be locked out of the race if it reaches its 55 car limit have been the main driver behind the temporary freeze.
Squads in such a position are said to include previous participants Phoenix Racing (Audi) and Black Falcon (Mercedes).
“We have a number of international teams liaising with our freight partner on the entry freight packages which, by virtue of their design, are not linked to the 31 July entry offer,” event director James O’Brien told Speedcafe.com, adding that there are also local invitational class entries currently being assessed for eligibility.
“Obviously there are teams there intending to enter that are in the process of going through those logistical discussions and we don’t want to disadvantage them by shutting them out with a full grid.”
Race organisers are working directly with Gibson Freight on its international entry logistics this year after parting ways with the Dutch-based Creventic organisation that had previously filled the role.
No strict class quota targets have been put in place, contributing to the desire to freeze all entries.
“We’ve got six classes at the moment and we want to make sure we’ve got the right balance across the field,” added O’Brien.
“After we take a brief pause we may just resume (taking entries) freely, or we might reserve some spots in certain classes.”
O’Brien warned that, although the track density for the circuit sits at 72 cars, the event’s self-imposed 55 car limit will unlikely be lifted, citing a strong desire to avoid traffic congestion across the top of the Mountain.
A total of 13 production cars are on the current entry list, including a two-car Fiat 500 effort from the Fiat Chrysler Group.
The slower entries will face an increased challenge to qualify within 130 percent of the pole time next year after the removal of the previous 2:06.0s benchmark time.
The 2014 Bathurst 12 Hour will be held across the February 7-9 weekend.
See below for the entry list as of August 1
Class | Entrant | Nationality | Vehicle |
A | Erebus | Australia | Mercedes SLS AMG GT3 2012 |
A | Clearwater Racing | Singapore | Ferrari F458 Italia GT3 2013 |
A | VIP Holdings | Australia | Porsche GT3 R 2013 |
A | Mark Eddy/Marc Cini | Australia | Audi R8 LMS Ultra 2012 |
A | Roger Lago | Australia | Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4 2012 |
A | Trofeo Motorsport | Australia | Chevrolet Callaway Corvette Z06R GT3 |
A | M Motorsport | Australia | Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4 2012 |
A | AF Corse | Italy | Ferrari 458 Italia GT3 2013 |
A | Maranello Motorsport | Australia | Ferrari F458 Italia GT3 2013 |
A | United Autosports | UK | Audi R8 LMS Ultra 2012 |
A | United Autosports | UK | McLaren MP4-12C 2012 |
A | Nissan Motorsports International | Japan | Nissan GTR NISMO GT3 2013 |
A | Rod Salmon | Australia | Audi R8 LMS Ultra 2012 |
A | Absolute Racing | China | Audi R8 LMS Ultra 2013 |
A | Haribo Racing | Germany | Porsche GT3 R 2013 |
A | Prosurv Racing | Australia | BMW Z4 GT3 2013 |
B | Dean Koutsoumidis | Australia | Audi R8 LMS 2011 |
B | Grove Motorsport | Australia | Porsche 997 GT3 Cup MY11 |
B | Indiran Padayachee | Australia | Porsche 997 GT3 Cup MY11 |
B | Andrew Macpherson | Australia | Porsche 911 GT3 Cup S |
B | Motorsport Services NZ | NZ | Porsche 997 GT3 Cup MY06 |
B | Motorsport Services NZ | NZ | Porsche 997 GT3 Cup MY06 |
B | Motorsport Services NZ | NZ | Porsche 997 GT3 Cup MY06 |
B | Richard Gartner | Australia | Porsche 997 GT3 Cup MY07 |
B | Paul Abbott | Australia | Porsche 997 GT3 Cup MY06 |
B | PeterConroy | Australia | Audi R8 LMS 2010 |
B | James Koundouris | Australia | Porsche 911 GT3 Cup S |
B | Competition Motorsports | USA | Porsche 997 GT3 Cup MY11 |
C | Tony Alford | Australia | Nissan GTR R35 |
C | Mortimer Motorsports | NZ | BMW M3 GT4 |
C | Motionsport | UK | Lotus Exige |
D | Ric Shaw | Australia | Mazda RX7 Turbo |
D | Anthony Gilbertson | Australia | BMW M3 E46 GTR |
D | Beric Lynton | Australia | BMW M Coupe 1 Series |
D | Sam Chester | Australia | Mazda RX7 Turbo |
D | Peter O’Donnell | Australia | BMW 335i |
D | Dean Herridge | Australia | Subaru WRX STi |
D | Michael Benton | Australia | Ford Falcon GT |
D | Richard Bendell | Australia | Daytona Sportscar Coupe |
E | Motorsport Services NZ | NZ | Seat Leon Supercopa |
E | Motorsport Services NZ | NZ | Seat Leon Supercopa |
E | Richard Billington | NZ | Seat Leon Supercopa |
F | Fiat Chrysler Group | Australia | Fiat Abarth 500 |
F | Fiat Chrysler Group | Australia | Fiat Abarth 500 |