The 1981 James Hardie 1000 was the 22nd running of the Bathurst 1000 touring car race. It was held on 4 October 1981 at the Mount Panorama Circuit just outside Bathurst. The race was open to cars eligible to the locally developed CAMS Group C touring car regulations with three engine configuration based classes, a system used uniquely for this race.
Dick Johnson and John French won the race driving a Ford XD Falcon (image from 1991)
Alan Browne and Tony Edmondson placed fifth in a Holden VC Commodore (image from 2015)
Colin Bond and Don Smith placed eighth in a Ford Capri (image from 2005)
Kevin Bartlett and Bob Forbes placed 13th in a Chevrolet Camaro (image from 2010)
The Bathurst 1000 is a 1,000-kilometre (621.4 mi) touring car race held annually on the Mount Panorama Circuit in Bathurst, New South Wales, Australia. It is currently run as part of the Supercars Championship, the most recent incarnation of the Australian Touring Car Championship. In 1987 it was a round of the World Touring Car Championship. The Bathurst 1000 is colloquially known as The Great Race among motorsport fans and media. The race originated with the 1960 Armstrong 500 with a 500 mile race distance at the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit; it was relocated to Bathurst in 1963 also with the 500 mile distance and has continued there every year since extending to a 1,000 kilometer race in 1973. The race was traditionally run on the New South Wales Labour-Day long weekend in early October. Since 2001, the race has been run on the weekend following the long weekend, generally the second weekend of October.
The first corner at Mount Panorama, known as Hell Corner.
The Austin Lancer of Brian Foley and Alan Edney during the 1960 race.
The Ford Cortina GT in which Bob Jane and Harry Firth won the 1963 race.
The Ford XT Falcon GT of Barry Seton and Fred Gibson overtakes the Datsun 1000 of Bill Evans and John Colwell during the 1968 race.