The build up to this year’s Repco Bathurst 1000 was full of emotion as Australia’s own brand, Holden had its last fling around the Mountain in The Great Race.
Yesterday’s event for the ZB Commodore marked a farewell for the brand, which has now won on this country’s hallowed motorsport tarmac 36 times.
It brings to a close an era of rivalry between Ford and Holden as the Chevrolet Camaro will replace the European-sourced ZB Commodore, which in itself brings to an end more than 40-years of history for the model since its debut in 1980.
Reflecting after yesterday’s success, winner Shane van Gisbergen had not lost fact of how important the brand was to the many fans attending the event across the weekend.
“Epic day,” van Gisbergen described following his second victory alongside Garth Tander.
“To compare to 2020, it’s another farewell to Holden, but also to have the fans here and to share it with them…
“This week, I learned a lot (about) how much the brand means to people and to represent it like we do, it’s a privilege to add to the tally of Holden wins.
“It’s hard to put into words, but it’s pretty cool.”
The last time the current Repco Supercars Championship leader took victory it was an iconic scene as he picked up a Holden flag on his victory lap and held it out of the driver’s side door across the top of the Mountain until the podium as Holden bid farewell as a factory.
Co-driver Tander himself also enjoys a long history with the marque spanning 25 years to when he debuted for Garry Rogers Motorsport in 1998 and yesterday was victory number five all achieved in Holdens.