Bathurst 1000: Start time, what you need to know

Thousands of people have already donned their gumboots for their annual pilgrimage to Mount Panorama, for what is arguably the best race of the season.

This year's 161-lap race will start at 11.15am AEDT on Sunday, as it did for the 2016, 2017 and 2018 races.

Last year's race, was the latest ever Great Race at 12.15pm.

There's three wildcard entries, which means a total 28 cars are set to tackle the Bathurst 1000. This is the biggest field since the 29-car grid in 2013.

On Friday there's two practice sessions 10.10am and 1pm. Grid positions 11 to 28 will then be settled by a 40-minute qualifying session at 4.15pm.

Practice continues on Saturday with sessions at 10.20am and 1pm. Pole position and the remainder of the first five rows of the grid will then be determined in the top 10 shootout at 5.05pm.

On Sunday, there's a brief warm up at 8am and then the running of the 161-lap Bathurst 1000 will commence at 11.15am.

All times are AEDT.

Friday, October 7

Saturday, October 8

Sunday, October 9

It's already pretty soggy around Mount Panorama and the rain will continue, with up to 20 millimetres on Friday and 40mm on Saturday.

There is a 70 per cent chance of 1-5mm of rain on Sunday. The mercury will reach a top of 13 degrees and a chilly low of six overnight.

NSW Police Chief Inspector Glenn Cogdell warned motorsport fans there was the potential for flooding and road closures.

"Don't drive through flooded causeways, or flooded sections of the road, even if the road has not been closed. Please be cautious and careful in regards to any water on the road ways," he said.

Due to the weather conditions and forecast for coming days, priority parking car park is inaccessible for all vehicles except for 4WDs on Friday, October 7 due to the mud.

Supercars will provide a later update for Saturday and Sunday here.

Parking in the general public car park will be at your own risk, Supercars warns.

Bathurst Buslines will be operate a network of buses to cater for Bathurst 1000 fans, and a continual shuttle service from Harris Park at the bottom of Mount Panorama to Reid Park at top of Mount Panorama each day. Get your return ticket at the ticket booth at bottom of Mountain in merchandise area.

Mount Panorama, Bathurst - 11.50am to 12.20pm

Shell V-Power Racing Team merchandise store, Harris Park (Mount Panorama) - 3pm to 3.15pm

Boost Mobile activity site, Mount Panorama

Irwin activation, Merchandise Alley (Mount Panorama) - 8.45am to 9am

Shell V-Power Racing Team merchandise store, Harris Park (Mount Panorama) - 9am to 9.15am

Repco track store, Harris Park (Mount Panorama) - 9.20am to 9.35am

Truck Assist Racing merchandise store, Harris Park (Mount Panorama) - 12.15pm

Shell V-Power Racing Team merchandise store, Harris Park (Mount Panorama) - 12.30pm to 12.50pm

Mount Panorama, Bathurst - 3pm to 3.40pm

Spectators will be greeted by a very different looking Harris Park when they walk through the gates.

The precinct has a new layout which includes large interactive LED screens, a food court, entertainment precinct and, for the first time, the Bathurst Public House.

A centrepiece to the fan experience will be the interactive Peter Brock display that commemorates 50 years since the original King of the Mountain won his first Bathurst crown.

In what is being touted as the "biggest ever television production" for the Bathurst 1000, the event will be covered by 199 television cameras.

The cameras won't just be on the track, but also in-car, in the pits, around the track, embedded in concrete kerbs and walls, in the air and across sections of the track on a wire.

The production crew is made up of 257 people and together they will delivered a total of 2500 minutes of television coverage on Fox Sports and the Seven Network.