The Bathurst 1000 is an unmissable annual event for revheads, but this year’s running of the Great Race will be extra special as Erebus Motorsport races with the Limestone Coast behind them.

After the 2020 Supercars Championship resumed from a COVID-19 enforced break, all 10 teams were forced to hit the road and leave their families with an unknown return date.

Fourteen weeks later they all are chasing the biggest prize in Australian motorsport – the Peter Brock Trophy and one outfit would not have made the trek without Mount Gambier’s assistance.

With a double-header at Tailem Bend less than a month before Bathurst, the Melbourne-based Erebus squad relocated to the Carlin and Gazzard workshop for 25 days.

Before departing on Monday, Penrite Racing CEO Barry Ryan said the entire team was grateful for the region becoming a new home.

“We were already connected to Mount Gambier through our fabrication shop with James White and Max Medhurst Crash Repairs who have helped us for years, so to have Peter’s (Gazzard) family-run business support us has been amazing,” he said.

“They have just opened up their lives and showed us all around Mount Gambier to make us feel really welcome.”

Carlin and Gazzard dealership owner Peter Gazzard also enjoyed the stint and said it was a pleasure hosting the team.

“We have all really enjoyed it and the team was so professional and impressive with the way they worked and operated,” he said.

“They loved it and the drivers were happy to talk to our staff and meet everyone.

“They have become part of our family and we are sad they have left.”

Led by eccentric team owner Betty Klimenko, Erebus has raced in Supercars since taking over Stone Brothers Racing in 2013 and claimed seven wins including the 2017 Great Race.

More success followed during the squad’s visit to the Blue Lake city with Anton De Pasquale scoring a podium in race 29 at The Bend.

De Pasquale had only visited Mount Gambier once before for a go-kart race in 2009 and hopes to finish a career-best season on a high.

“Bathurst is one of those tracks you respect so much and we have had a few things go wrong, so we are definitely due for a good result there,” he said.

“We have been building each week and hopefully we can carry the momentum into Bathurst.

“The cars have been really well prepped here in Mount Gambier, but we will see how we go through the week because you need a fast and reliable car.”

Preparation for the Mount Panorama classic usually takes place inside Penrite Racing’s Melbourne workshop, but Ryan believes Carlin and Gazzard’s facility was more than up to the task.

“It has been a little bit different, but we have made do really well and the part of the workshop Pete gave us was beautifully presented, clean and tidy, so that makes a difference when you are trying to prepare a race car for Bathurst,” he said.

“We have been able to prepare as good as we could back in Melbourne and everything is really positive going into the biggest race of the year.

“Hopefully we can show that at Bathurst.”

Amazingly Gazzard also played a huge role in the previous Supercar to be prepared in Mount Gambier for the Great Race.

In 1991 Gazzard drove a Holden VL Commodore with Bathurst icon Peter Janson, which also became race ready in his workshop.

But the latest Supercars arrival was on a much grander scale and Gazzard believed the last four weeks have been an unforgettable experience with the entire community trying to get involved.

“The last time a team went to the Bathurst 1000 from Mount Gambier was when I did, so it brought back a lot of memories, but things have changed a lot,” he said.

“Everybody has asked what can we do to support Erebus and Joan from Lennons on Lake Terrace asked what food do they like and cooked it for them.

“We have been very lucky and I am sure all of the Carlin and Gazzard staff will be glued to the television on race day.”

Since David Reynolds and Luke Youlden conquered the mountain in 2017, Penrite Racing has always shown pace on the biggest stage, but luck has not gone its way.

The 2020 season has been a challenging year on and off the track for Erebus, but some Mount Gambier magic could inspire the team to victory on Bathurst Day.

Penrite Racing’s Limestone Coast visit culminated with an exciting livery reveal and Ryan said his team was ready to perform with the fresh war paint.

“The morale in the team is really high and we are going there to win – you are crazy if you don’t,” he said.

“Finishing is the number one criteria and if you have a fast car with 20 laps to go, you are in with a shot.”