Aussie BMW driver fined R27k for speeding on ‘racetrack’

A BMW driver in the Australian state of New South Wales had his licence suspended for six months after being caught speeding across the iconic Mount Panorama street track outside the town of Bathurst this past week.

According to a Facebook post by the New South Wales Traffic and Highway department, the driver of the blue 320i was clocked doing 119 km/h on the circuit which, outside from hosting the famed Bathurst 1 000 and Bathurst 12 hour endurance races, is an otherwise normal public road with a speed limit of 60 km/h.

Reportedly confused for being pulled over on the fast Conrod Straight where race cars often touch 300 km/h, the driver stated he thought the road was in fact a permanent racetrack and allegedly didn’t know it had any speed limits.

As well as having his licence revoked on the spot, the driver was slapped with a fine of $2 520 (R27 208) for being 59 km/h over the limit and given six demerit points. In addition, police also confiscated the 320i’s numberplates for a period of three months.

Used as a track since 1938, the 6.2 km Mount Panorama track, known better as The Mountain, has hosted perhaps its most famous event, the Bathurst 1 000 Australian Touring Car and V8 Supercar race since 1963 with the current record for most wins being held by late Holden star Peter Brock, whose nine top step podium visits between 1972 and 1987 led to him being dubbed the King of the Mountain.

Additional credit: motor1.com