IN 2012, a crowd of 207,205 people visited Mount Panorama to witness the fight for the Peter Brock Trophy.
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Eleven years later, that's the number Bathurst Regional Council and Supercars will be looking to beat.
Race fans were lining up on Friday, September 29 - more than a week before the Great Race - to get into their campsites as early as possible.
It's a remarkable situation, according to Supercars chief executive officer Shane Howard.
"Fans' enthusiasm is truly remarkable. They've been lining up since early Friday morning to secure their camping spots, which sold out within just 90 minutes," he said.
"Approximately 7,000 campsites will be filled in the coming days as we gear up for an action-packed weekend.
"The excitement will continue to build over the coming days and into [the] week as Supercars teams prepare to hit the track for opening practice on Thursday."
There's a lot for race fans to be excited about.
It is the 60th anniversary of the Bathurst 1000, a race that gave legendary driver Brock the title of King of the Mountain, and made the likes of Craig Lowndes, Jim Richards, Mark Skaife, Allan Moffat, Larry Perkins and Dick Johnson immortals of the sport.
There will be a lot happening across Race Week to celebrate the significant milestone, including the Legends Dinner at Rydges, a new twilight music and markets event in Kings Parade, and a special exhibition at the National Motor Racing Museum.
This year is also the first time the Chevrolet Camaro will compete in the Bathurst 1000.
Another milestone race fans will want to be part of is what is set to be Lowndes' 30th appearance in the Great Race.
Assuming his car survives every practice and qualifying session to allow him to make it to the grid on Sunday morning, he will equal Brock on the list of most consecutive Bathurst 1000 starts.
Only Jim Richards has made more consecutive starts than that, with 35 to his name.
If Lowndes - who will pilot a wildcard entry alongside Zane Goddard - can win on Sunday, he will be just one victory away from equalling Brock for the most Bathurst 1000 crowns.
And if all that wasn't enough, there is speculation that race fans could witness Supercars exceed 300km/h on Conrod Straight due to a new drop gear ratio.
While the Supercars CEO is remaining tight-lipped on whether or not a new crowd record could be set at the 2023 Bathurst 1000, he is expecting strong attendance.
"We anticipate a packed crowd right across Mount Panorama for Sunday's Great Race," Mr Howard said.
"The support and dedication of our fans make events like the Bathurst 1000 truly special."
Supercars will hit the circuit for their first practice session at 1.20pm on Thursday, October 5.
Three more practice sessions will be held ahead of qualifying on Friday, October 6, with the top 10 shootout to be held the following day at 5.05pm.
The Great Race itself will start at 11.15am on Sunday, October 8.
IN OTHER NEWS:
Rachel Chamberlain
I have been a journalist at the Western Advocate since 2014.
I have been a journalist at the Western Advocate since 2014.
