Peter Brock aura lives on at Bathurst

There were black bonnets and the body of a blank silver VZ Commodore in pit lane at Bathurst, with moving personal tributes on banners around the track.

The bonnets are a mark of respect at the Holden Racing Team, Brock's home for much of his racing career and his most memorable victories.

Fans are being invited to sign the silver Commodore this weekend in a tribute to their hero.

It has been supplied by Holden Special Vehicles and will eventually be housed in a museum, perhaps with most of the Holden classic collection at Norwell in Queensland.

Brock was the talking point yesterday, even though the V8 Supercars are hitting the track this morning to begin the fight for Australian motor sport's biggest prize.

"Being at Bathurst brings a lot of the Brock aura back to the fraternity," driver Mark Skaife said yesterday.

"Everywhere you go, up on the hill, there are notes from people and best wishes from people who want to pay their homage to Brock.

"Almost every question today has been about what the event means with Peter here. So it's very much at the front of our minds.

"Apart from the funeral and the memorial at Sandown it has been hard to rationalise. But now we're here it is front of mind."

Still, Skaife is at Bathurst to race and he and co-driver Garth Tander are one of the top choices for the great race, alongside Craig Lowndes and Jamie Whincup in the best of the Falcons.

"When you climb on board you have a job to do," Skaife said.

"There is a lot of tribute stuff that will be happening just before the start, but it is our job. And Brock wouldn't want it any other way.

"He wouldn't want it to be an obituary. He would want it to be a motor race."