Olympic Torch Relay Shines at Bathurst in 2000
As the world turns its gaze to Paris and France for the Olympic Games, memories of past events come flooding back, particularly the iconic Sydney 2000 Olympic Games. One standout moment from those Games is when the Olympic Torch Relay made its way to Bathurst, giving the town a taste of Olympic glory.
In September 2000, Holden, a major sponsor of the Olympics and the Torch Relay, played a key role in this memorable event. Many of its star drivers carried the flame on its journey from Athens, Greece, to Sydney, Australia.
The Olympic flame took a unique trip around Mount Panorama on Saturday, September 2, 2000, inside the Holden Commodore VT V8 Supercar driven by Craig Lowndes. With racing fans lining the track, Peter Brock covered his relay leg before handing the flame to Lowndes. The flame was then placed in a specially constructed canister inside the car.
Strict rules surrounding sponsorship and official partners required the removal of all regular sponsors’ stickers from the car, leaving only Holden and HSV visible for the special lap of Bathurst. He car Lowndes drove was likely one of the HRT’s race cars from that period, which he had raced the previous month at Calder.
Recalling the event in V8 Sleuth’s ‘HRT The Cars’ history book, released in 2017, Lowndes said, “They had to make up a proper holder in the car and a safe canister. They were worried about the transfer of flame and it perhaps going out! It was in the passenger’s side and it was like an old gas lantern.
“It was an encased flame, not naked like the baton was. I think they left the baton lit in case it went out while I was going around the circuit.”
Fortunately, the flame remained lit, the lap was completed without issue, and the Sydney 2000 Olympics were a resounding success.
As we celebrate the current Games, it’s incredible to remember that this unique lap of Bathurst took place nearly a quarter of a century ago, marking a special intersection of motorsport and Olympic history.
