The first 'Great Race' was in 1963.....I know for sure, as I drove a VW Beetle in it.

If you add 50 to 1963, you get 2013, which makes this year the 49th year. It is the 50th race, NOT the 50th anniversary.

As we say in Advertising ...."never let the truth get in the way of a good story"

Got some pics/stuff of when you raced a beetle at Bathurst greg?? That's the sort of thing that interests me about bathurst!! Stories of the past with people who have raced there that weren't the front runners or in the media spot light.

You drove a Beetle in the first race! That's very cool, any pics and stories would be great! I love the history of the mountain.

Yep, drove a Beetle in the 1963 Armstrong 500 at Bathurst. Sorry......no pics.

It was a great experience, and despite a few problems [none with the car], we ended up 5th in class A.

I had quite a time trying to get my co-driver, Graham White, to 'work' the Beetle a bit harder......he was 10 seconds a lap slower than my times. When i suggested he rev it out in 3rd until the fan whistled, he asked "what RPM would that be". I made the mistake of telling him. "The car has to last all day", he replied...."It will last all year", I said. I ended up with the fastest lap in class A, and G.W. was likely the slowest.

Trying [a bit too hard?] to make up time, I went round the outside of Fred Gibson [Mini], got into the marbles, and put the Beetle on its side at Murray's Corner. Somehow I managed to get the Beetle back on its wheels, and after a quick r/h rear wheel change, by our pit crew of ONE, we were back into it, without losing a place. Great memories.

That is the stuff I love to hear about!! Awesome!!!!

Cool! . Crossply madness!!

Quote:

Originally posted by HappyDaze The first 'Great Race' was in 1963.....I know for sure, as I drove a VW Beetle in it. If you add 50 to 1963, you get 2013, which makes this year the 49th year. It is the 50th race, NOT the 50th anniversary.

Quote:

Originally posted by HappyDaze The first 'Great Race' was in 1963.....I know for sure, as I drove a VW Beetle in it. If you add 50 to 1963, you get 2013, which makes this year the 49th year. It is the 50th race, NOT the 50th anniversary.

these are labeled 'bathurst '63. is that right?

Quote:

Originally posted by HappyDaze Yep, drove a Beetle in the 1963 Armstrong 500 at Bathurst. Sorry......no pics. It was a great experience, and despite a few problems [none with the car], we ended up 5th in class A. I had quite a time trying to get my co-driver, Graham White, to 'work' the Beetle a bit harder......he was 10 seconds a lap slower than my times. When i suggested he rev it out in 3rd until the fan whistled, he asked "what RPM would that be". I made the mistake of telling him. "The car has to last all day", he replied...."It will last all year", I said. I ended up with the fastest lap in class A, and G.W. was likely the slowest. Trying [a bit too hard?] to make up time, I went round the outside of Fred Gibson [Mini], got into the marbles, and put the Beetle on its side at Murray's Corner. Somehow I managed to get the Beetle back on its wheels, and after a quick r/h rear wheel change, by our pit crew of ONE, we were back into it, without losing a place. Great memories.

Quote:

Originally posted by HappyDaze The first 'Great Race' was in 1963.....I know for sure, as I drove a VW Beetle in it. If you add 50 to 1963, you get 2013, which makes this year the 49th year. It is the 50th race, NOT the 50th anniversary.

Quote:

Originally posted by farkengruven Quote: Originally posted by HappyDaze The first 'Great Race' was in 1963.....I know for sure, as I drove a VW Beetle in it. If you add 50 to 1963, you get 2013, which makes this year the 49th year. It is the 50th race, NOT the 50th anniversary. Using your math method, yes you get 2013. If you use the correct method and include the 1963 race, then you get 2012.

Photo of Greg Mackie at the first race in 1963 at Hell's Corner

(photo courtesy of G Mackie - greg you gave this [digital] pic to me a few years back)

thanks shaun (sp) and thankyou greg for the story. please keep them coming.

it looks like a later style numberplate light in that picture.

is that an oil cooler in front of the headlight??

LEE

So if someone is celebrating a 50th wedding anniversary, they are really celebrating being married 51 years?????? How does that work?
Try explaining that one to your wife.

We were married in 1963, so NEXTt year [2013] my wife and I will celebrate our 50th anniversary......hopefully.

hard to explain But Phil can

I'm getting confused; does that mean I'm a year older because I'm counting my birth year to now?

The year I'm born doesn't count as 1 year old; its not until the following year that you'd become 1 year old... the same applies to all anniversaries and events.

I knew Murray whom the corner was named after..
n where has that gone now..
naming rights BS
sold out n lost its soul
nice old bloke too
allegedly

Very exciting to know we have such Bathurst history in our midst Would you have believed then that the track would host one of the most followed races in Australia 50 years later?

Never gave it a thought at the time. All I've got to show for the race is a tiny gold shock-absorber, handed out by Armstrong. But what an experience.

Yes Lee, that is an oil cooler.

pretty sure ive got footage of you putting your bug on its side. willhave to find a vhs tohave a look

The word 'anniversary' comes from the Latin 'annus' - meaning 'year', and 'versus', meanng 'turned'. Anniversaries are pretty easy to work out - you subtract the starting year from the current year.

You were married in 1968. In 1969 you have your FIRST anniversary, as 1969 - 1968 is 1. You have been married for one year. In 2018 you'll have your 50th anniversary - 2018 minus 1968 is 50.

That is different from counting INSTANCES. The first VW Nationals, or the first Bathurst race, actually happen in that first year, so you are starting your count from ONE in the first year. When the second year comes around, your count is now TWO. This is different from anniversaries - you haven't been married for one year until after the END of your first year.

Anniversary = Current Year minus Starting Year.

Annual instances = Anniversaries PLUS ONE.

So yes, this year is the 50th Bathurst race (count them on your fingers, starting from 1963 inclusive!) but the 49th ANNIVERSARY. Next year will be the 50th Annversary of Bathurst (2013 minus 1963) but the 51st INSTANCE.

Its kind of like when you slice up a cake.
You make 10 cuts but end up with 11 pieces.

YAWN....who really cares ......next we will be debating millennium celebrations !