I'll have a ten'er on the Abarth to take out Cat F.

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Bathurst 12 Hour organisers have temporarily ceased taking entries for the 2014 event after an unprecedented level of early competitor interest.

A total of 44 cars have entered prior to the race’s ‘early bird’ entry fee discount offer expiring on August 1, seven more than at this time last year.

The current field includes 16 Class A GT3 cars, split between nine Australian and seven international outfits.

The visitors include event returnees AF Corse (Ferrari), Clearwater Racing (Ferrari) and United Autosports (Audi and McLaren), as well as newcomers Nissan Motorsports, Absolute Racing (Audi) and Haribo Racing (Audi).

Fears that other overseas squads who have expressed interest but not yet formally lodged an entry could be locked out of the race if it reaches its 55 car limit have been the main driver behind the temporary freeze.

Squads in such a position are said to include previous participants Phoenix Racing (Audi) and Black Falcon (Mercedes).

“We have a number of international teams liaising with our freight partner on the entry freight packages which, by virtue of their design, are not linked to the 31 July entry offer,” event director James O’Brien told Speedcafe.com, adding that there are also local invitational class entries currently being assessed for eligibility.

“Obviously there are teams there intending to enter that are in the process of going through those logistical discussions and we don’t want to disadvantage them by shutting them out with a full grid.”

Race organisers are working directly with Gibson Freight on its international entry logistics this year after parting ways with the Dutch-based Creventic organisation that had previously filled the role.

No strict class quota targets have been put in place, contributing to the desire to freeze all entries.

“We’ve got six classes at the moment and we want to make sure we’ve got the right balance across the field,” added O’Brien.

“After we take a brief pause we may just resume (taking entries) freely, or we might reserve some spots in certain classes.”

O’Brien warned that, although the track density for the circuit sits at 72 cars, the event’s self-imposed 55 car limit will unlikely be lifted, citing a strong desire to avoid traffic congestion across the top of the Mountain.

A total of 13 production cars are on the current entry list, including a two-car Fiat 500 effort from the Fiat Chrysler Group.

The slower entries will face an increased challenge to qualify within 130 percent of the pole time next year after the removal of the previous 2:06.0s benchmark time.

The 2014 Bathurst 12 Hour will be held across the February 7-9 weekend.

See below for the entry list as of August 1

Class Entrant Nationality Vehicle
A Erebus Australia Mercedes SLS AMG GT3 2012
A Clearwater Racing Singapore Ferrari F458 Italia GT3 2013
A VIP Holdings Australia Porsche GT3 R 2013
A Mark Eddy/Marc Cini Australia Audi R8 LMS Ultra 2012
A Roger Lago Australia Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4 2012
A Trofeo Motorsport Australia Chevrolet Callaway Corvette Z06R GT3
A M Motorsport Australia Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4 2012
A AF Corse Italy Ferrari 458 Italia GT3 2013
A Maranello Motorsport Australia Ferrari F458 Italia GT3 2013
A United Autosports UK Audi R8 LMS Ultra 2012
A United Autosports UK McLaren MP4-12C 2012
A Nissan Motorsports International Japan Nissan GTR NISMO GT3 2013
A Rod Salmon Australia Audi R8 LMS Ultra 2012
A Absolute Racing China Audi R8 LMS Ultra 2013
A Haribo Racing Germany Porsche GT3 R 2013
A Prosurv Racing Australia BMW Z4 GT3 2013
B Dean Koutsoumidis Australia Audi R8 LMS 2011
B Grove Motorsport Australia Porsche 997 GT3 Cup MY11
B Indiran Padayachee Australia Porsche 997 GT3 Cup MY11
B Andrew Macpherson Australia Porsche 911 GT3 Cup S
B Motorsport Services NZ NZ Porsche 997 GT3 Cup MY06
B Motorsport Services NZ NZ Porsche 997 GT3 Cup MY06
B Motorsport Services NZ NZ Porsche 997 GT3 Cup MY06
B Richard Gartner Australia Porsche 997 GT3 Cup MY07
B Paul Abbott Australia Porsche 997 GT3 Cup MY06
B PeterConroy Australia Audi R8 LMS 2010
B James Koundouris Australia Porsche 911 GT3 Cup S
B Competition Motorsports USA Porsche 997 GT3 Cup MY11
C Tony Alford Australia Nissan GTR R35
C Mortimer Motorsports NZ BMW M3 GT4
C Motionsport UK Lotus Exige
D Ric Shaw Australia Mazda RX7 Turbo
D Anthony Gilbertson Australia BMW M3 E46 GTR
D Beric Lynton Australia BMW M Coupe 1 Series
D Sam Chester Australia Mazda RX7 Turbo
D Peter O’Donnell Australia BMW 335i
D Dean Herridge Australia Subaru WRX STi
D Michael Benton Australia Ford Falcon GT
D Richard Bendell Australia Daytona Sportscar Coupe
E Motorsport Services NZ NZ Seat Leon Supercopa
E Motorsport Services NZ NZ Seat Leon Supercopa
E Richard Billington NZ Seat Leon Supercopa
F Fiat Chrysler Group Australia Fiat Abarth 500
F Fiat Chrysler Group Australia Fiat Abarth 500

I have a plan,2 racers and the top half from each race go into the 3rd and final race.

It would be really cool if they could get the newly formed Asian LeMan series to Bathurst as well. The GT cars go nuts across the top, imagine the prototypes across the top. I reckon the 12hr will become just as big as the 1000 in a few years, just have to find a way to fit more cars in or limit it to just class A and B GT3 cars, the other classes just get in the way anyway.

Imagine how it would feel to be on the rev limiter halfway down conrod in the abarth and have an AMG pick 6th on its way past.

Its all good but i like AUSSIE MUSCLE OI OI OI.lol.