The 1997 Primus 1000 Classic was a 1000 kilometre endurance race for V8 Supercars,2016 CAMS Manual of Motor Sport, Titles, pages 9 & 10, 500KM/1000KM Touring Car Races, as archived at web.archive.org staged at the Mount Panorama Circuit just outside Bathurst in New South Wales, Australia on 19 October 1997.

It was the inaugural "1000 Classic" race, created in response to the desire of V8 Supercar organisers AVESCO to compete at the popular Mount Panorama Circuit outside of the traditional Bathurst 1000 event, as AVESCO were in conflict with the Bathurst 1000 organisers, the Australian Racing Drivers' Club. While many attempts were made to broker a peace between the two bodies, there was a fundamental chasm over the issue of television coverage with AVESCO holding a series contract with Network Ten and the ARDC holding a contract with the Seven Network. The impasse was solved when Bathurst City Council negotiated a deal with AVESCO for a separate race, to be held two weeks after the 1997 AMP Bathurst 1000, which subsequently went ahead with a field of Australian and British Super Touring cars.

The 1997 Primus 1000 Classic was won by Larry Perkins and Russell Ingall driving a Holden Commodore (VS).

Entry list and class structure Class structure Level 1 These were the full-time professional teams, aiming to win the race outright and holders of a 'Level 1' V8 Supercar franchise.

Special Level 1 The smaller, part-time 'Level 2' teams, who wished to run on the tyres of their own choosing.

Level 2 The smaller, part-time 'Level 2' teams, running on a Dunlop control tyre of lower, cheaper specification.

Entry list Class Drivers Team (Sponsors) Car Class Drivers Team (Sponsors) Car 1 L1 28 L2 3 S1 33 L2 05 L1 34 L1 7 L1 36 L2 9 L1 37 L2 10 L1 38 S1 11 L1 39 L2 12 L2 40 L2 13 L2 41 L2 14 L2 44 L2 15 L1 45 L1 16 L2 46 L1 17 L1 47 S1 18 L1 49 S1 20 L2 54 L1 21 L2 58 L2 23 L2 62 L2 24 S1 74 L2 25 L1 79 L2 26 L2 97 L1 27 S1 Source: Icon Class L1 Level 1 S1 Special Level 1 L2 Level 2

Results Top 10 Shootout Pos No Driver Team Car Time 1 05 Mark Skaife Holden Racing Team Holden Commodore VS 2:10.0397 2 1 Glenn Seton Glenn Seton Racing Ford Falcon EL 2:10.8120 3 15 Greg Murphy Holden Racing Team Holden Commodore VS 2:11.0270 4 11 Larry Perkins Perkins Engineering Holden Commodore VS 2:11.0826 5 97 Jason Bargwanna Holden Young Lions Holden Commodore VS 2:11.0887 6 9 Alan Jones Alan Jones Racing Ford Falcon EL 2:11.2317 7 17 Dick Johnson Dick Johnson Racing Ford Falcon EL 2:11.3336 8 46 John Faulkner John Faulkner Racing Holden Commodore VS 2:11.4114 9 18 Steven Johnson Dick Johnson Racing Ford Falcon EL 2:11.6200 10 7 Wayne Gardner Wayne Gardner Racing Holden Commodore VS 2:12.8269

Race Pos Class No Drivers Team Car Laps Time/Retired Grid 1 L1 11 Larry Perkins Russell Ingall Perkins Engineering Holden Commodore VS 161 6:21:55.5483 4 2 L1 34 Steven Richards Jim Richards Garry Rogers Motorsport Holden Commodore VS 161 +11.0995 11 3 L1 10 Mark Larkham Andrew Miedecke Larkham Motor Sport Ford Falcon EL 161 +2:01.7408 12 4 L1 18 Steven Johnson Craig Baird Dick Johnson Racing Ford Falcon EL 158 +3 laps 9 5 L1 46 John Faulkner Win Percy John Faulkner Racing Holden Commodore VS 154 +7 laps 8 6 L1 45 Darren Hossack Steven Ellery Gibson Motorsport Holden Commodore VS 154 +7 laps 15 7 L2 14 Malcolm Stenniken Peter Gazzard Malcolm Stenniken Holden Commodore VS 154 +7 laps 33 8 S1 3 Steve Reed Trevor Ashby Lansvale Smash Repairs Holden Commodore VS 153 +8 laps 18 9 L2 36 Neil Schembri Ian Luff Schembri Motorsport Holden Commodore VS 153 +8 laps 30 10 S1 27 Terry Finnigan Terry Shiel Terry Finnigan Holden Commodore VS 153 +8 laps 17 11 L1 9 Alan Jones Scott Pruett Jason Bright Alan Jones Racing Ford Falcon EL 153 +8 laps 6 12 L2 16 Melinda Price Kerryn Brewer Perkins Engineering Holden Commodore VS 152 +9 laps 41 13 L2 44 Mal Rose Kevin Burton Mal Rose Racing Holden Commodore VS 150 +11 laps 27 14 S1 49 Greg Crick Peter Fitzgerald Greg Crick Motorsport Holden Commodore VS 150 +11 laps 14 15 L2 20 Ian Palmer John English Palmer Promotions Holden Commodore VS 146 +15 laps 36 16 L2 21 Brian Walden Steve Williams Walden Racing Holden Commodore VP 144 +16 laps 37 17 L2 39 Chris Smerdon Charlie Cox Challenge Motorsport Holden Commodore VS 143 +17 laps 25 18 L2 26 Peter Doulman John Cotter Doulman Automotive Holden Commodore VPV8 Bathurst 1997, page 151 139 +22 laps 21 19 L2 74 Kevin Heffernan Danny Osborne PACE Racing Holden Commodore VS 135 +26 laps 24 NC L2 40 Michael Hart Peter Lawrence Michael Hart Holden Commodore VR 119 +42 laps 40 NC L2 37 Alan Taylor Bill Attard Stephen Bell Alan Taylor Racing Holden Commodore VP 110 +51 laps 38 DNF L2 62 Wayne Russell Ric Shaw Novocastrian Motorsport Holden Commodore VS 126 Crash 34 DNF L1 1 Glenn Seton David Parsons Glenn Seton Racing Ford Falcon EL 121 Tailshaft 2 DNF L1 25 Tony Longhurst Charlie O'Brien Longhurst Racing Ford Falcon EL 110 Throttle cable 39 DNF L2 58 Peter O'Brien Brian Callaghan, Jr. Ron Barnacle O'Brien Automotive Holden Commodore VR 109 Engine 35 DNF L2 13 Ryan McLeod Darren Pate John Faulkner Racing Holden Commodore VR 101 Differential 22 DNF L2 28 Kevin Waldock John Smith Playscape Racing Ford Falcon EF 92 Loose Wheel 29 DNF L1 7 Wayne Gardner Neil Crompton Wayne Gardner Racing Holden Commodore VS 89 Engine 10 DNF L2 79 Mike Conway Gavin Monaghan Cadillac Productions Ford Falcon EB 79 Gearbox 28 DNF S1 38 Mark Poole Tony Scott James Rosenberg Racing Holden Commodore VS 74 Gearbox 19 DNF S1 24 Paul Romano Allan Grice Romano Racing Holden Commodore VS 69 Crash 20 DNF L2 23 Ray Hislop Tim Briggs Ray Hislop Ford Falcon EF 62 Crash 26 DNF L2 41 Garry Willmington Bill Sieders Garry Willmington Performance Holden Commodore VR 61 Engine 32 DNF L1 05 Peter Brock Mark Skaife Holden Racing Team Holden Commodore VS 52 Engine 1 DNF L2 12 Bruce Williams Paul Gover Robert Smith Racing Holden Commodore VS 46 Steering 31 DNF L2 33 Bob Pearson Allan McCarthy Pro-Duct Motorsport Holden Commodore VS 43 Driveline 23 DNF L1 15 Craig Lowndes Greg Murphy Holden Racing Team Holden Commodore VS 38 Crash 3 DNF S1 47 (John Trimbole) Tomas Mezera Daily Planet Racing Holden Commodore VS 25 Crash 13 DNF L1 17 (Dick Johnson) John Bowe Dick Johnson Racing Ford Falcon EL 17 Crash 7 DNF L1 54 (Peter Bradbury) Paul Stokell (Anthony Tratt) Wayne Gardner Racing Holden Commodore VS 16 Engine 16 DNSV8 Bathurst 1997, page 143 L1 97 (Jason Bargwanna) (Mark Noske) Holden Young Lions Holden Commodore VS Crash in Warm-Up 5 Source:

The names of drivers who did not drive in the actual race are shown in the above table within brackets.V8 Bathurst 1997, page 149

Broadcast Network 10 broadcast the race for the first time. Barry Sheene provided commentary in the booth for the first part of the race before moving to pit-lane for the remainder.

Network 10 Hosts: Bill Woods, Matthew WhiteBooth: Leigh Diffey, Mark Oastler, Barry SheenePit-lane: John Smailes

Statistics Provisional pole position (Fastest in Qualifying) - #97 Jason Bargwanna - 2:10.9216 Pole position (Fastest in Top 10 Shootout)- #05 Mark Skaife - 2:10.0397 Fastest race lap - #11 Larry Perkins - 2:12.3398 (new lap record) Winners' average speed - 157.14 km/h (V8 Supercar record) Most laps led - Perkins/Ingall - 80

See also 1997 Eagle Boys 3 Hour Bathurst Showroom Showdown

References

External links Official race results, www.natsoft.com.au, as archived at web.archive.org Official V8 Supercar website, as archived at web.archive.org on 28 September 2002 Race results, www.uniquecarsandparts.com.au