ALEX Davison has achieved a unique feat in Bathurst 1000 history and is looking to extend his perfect finishing record in the big race on December 5 at Mount Panorama.
The 42-year-old, who reunites with brother Will Davison to co-drive the #17 Dick Johnson Racing Ford Mustang at this year’s race, has a 100 percent finishing record in the Bathurst 1000 since his debut back in 2004.
Davison has started and finished 16 Bathurst 1000s, making him the clear record holder for the most race starts of any driver with a 100 percent finishing record in the history of the race.
Next best on the list behind Davison with seven finishes from seven starts is Chaz Mostert, while on six are the late Warren Weldon (1963-1968), Ron Kearns (1966, 1968-1972), and Andrew Thompson (who finished eighth with Davison on debut in 2007).
Thompson and Mostert both had years where they failed to start the race – the former missed the 2008 race after a practice accident involving co-driver Paul Weel and the latter missed the 2015 race after his nasty qualifying crash on the Friday afternoon.
Davison’s first Bathurst 1000 came in a Castrol Perkins Commodore VX alongside Jamie Whincup in 2004 and he’s only missed one ‘Great Race’ since then – 2016.
His best finish remains fourth alongside younger brother Will in an Erebus Mercedes in 2014 and he’s collected seven top 10 finishes along the way.
In fact, Whincup is second only to Davison in Bathurst 1000 history for the highest percentage of finishes by drivers starting seven or more ‘1000s.
Whincup has finished 18 of his 19 starts for a 94 percent finishing rate, followed by Peter Brown (92 percent, 11/12), Ray Gulson (91 percent, 21/23), Digby Cooke (90 percent, 9/10) and Rick Kelly (90 percent, 18/20).
Gulson holds the record for most finishes in a row from his debut Bathurst race onwards – he finished his first 16 in a row before his first ‘DNF’ in 1986. However, along the way he also failed to start the race after practicing in 1976 and 1981.
Should Davison be able to finish this year’s race he’ll surpass Gulson for this unique place in ‘The Great Race’ record books.
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