When Peter Brock gets behind the wheel for his final assault on Bathurst, the man they call King of the Mountain won't just be looking for the finish line.
Brock says he'll be looking straight past it, towards his future.
Because while some people see his retirement from professional motor racing as an ending, Brock 52 prefers to call it a beginning.
And he has promised himself he will approach the next phase of his life with the same tenacity that has seen him win an unequalled nine Bathurst 1000's, three Australian Touring Car Championships and nine Sandown Endurance titles.

"This being my last race, I know full well I'm embarking on what is arguably the most important part of my life," Brock said.
"There are other things in my life and I'll be pursuing those with just as much vigour, probably more knowing that I'm now armed with the wisdom of putting myself out there in a world of adversity.
I understand more about myself because I have been involved for 30 years in a sport which is built on facing your fears and pushing limits."

But despite the enthusiasm, Brock admits his last race will be a roller coaster of emotions.
"It wasn't planned; it's strange how it happened.
"When I decided at the middle of this year to retire, I spoke to a few people and they said to make and announcement near the end of this year, but I didn't think that was right.
"I didn't want to be lying to journalists and fans, denying I was going to retire when in fact I'd made up my mind.

"I thought if I made the announcement sooner rather than later it would give me the opportunity of going to the various circuits and saying goodbye to the fans.
"And Bathurst just fitted into that scheme, being toward the end of the year.
"So I didn't really sit back and say Bathurst was going to be my last race; it has turned out that way and it's fantastic.

Farewell & Thanks for the Memories

Photo by Darren McNamara

"To go to the top of that mountain for the very last time in what I assume is going to be a full house with all those people out there. ...it's going to be so exciting that this is going to happen, such a buzz.
"I don't really know how I'm going to feel but I think apart from the elation, I guess there'll be sadness.
"By Sunday night I'm going to feel, I guess.... empty."

Last farewell to the fans

Photo by Darren McNamara

Excerpt taken from The Sunday Telegraph
written by Frances Whiting.