The event was the eighth Australia 1000, first held after the organisational split over the Bathurst 1000 that occurred in 1997. The race was staged four days after the 41st anniversary of the first Bathurst 500/1000 touring car endurance race which was held at the Mount Panorama Circuit in 1963. The 2004 event was the 47th race with a lineage back to the 1960 Armstrong 500 held at Phillip Island.
The race was won by 2003 winners Greg Murphy and Rick Kelly driving a Kmart Racing Team entered Holden Commodore (VY). It was the sixth consecutive Bathurst 1000 victory for Holden, a new record. The 2004 event was the 32nd and last Bathurst 500/1000 for nine time race winner Peter Brock. He did not get to drive in the actual race however as Jason Plato, his British co-driver in the #05 Holden Racing TeamHolden Commodore (VY), crashed heavily on lap 31, putting the car out of the race.
Entry List
35 cars were entered in the race – 16 Ford Falcons and 19 Holden Commodores. Three cars were of the pre-2003 Group 3A regulation set. Amongst the debutants were former Formula One driver Alex Yoong, future championship race winners Fabian Coulthard and Lee Holdsworth and future New Zealand Touring Cars champion John McIntyre. Nine time Bathurst winner Peter Brock and 1988 race winner Tomas Mezera made their final start in the event.
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