VIDEO: The Crocodile is back! - A look at the last time the Croc won Down Under - 2000 ALMS Adelaide finale

By Johan Laubscher

The Bathurst 12 Hour is only a few hours away and will be getting underway at 05:50 local time on Sunday morning.

Phoenix Racing will be starting from pole position with the #15 "Kangaroo" liveried Audi R8 LMS ultra driven by Markus Winkelhock, Marco Mapelli and pole-man, Laurens Vanthoor. The German team's second car has a very special revival of a unique bit of Audi motorsport history in Australia. The #16 Audi R8 LMS ultra, driven by Felix Baumgartner, Christopher Haase and Stéphane Ortelli, is wearing a "Crocodile" themed livery.

It is indeed the return of the Crocodile, because this livery is a throwback to a special design which raced and won in Australia over a decade ago. The occasion was the 2000 American Le Mans Series finale and the track was Adelaide in Australia on New Year's Eve. Audi Sport Team Joest entered two Audi R8 sportscars in the race dubbed as the "Race of a Thousand Years." Their leading entry was the championship leading #77 Audi R8 driven by Allan McNish and Dindo Capello. The car was given a special "Crocodile" livery for its race in Australia. This livery has a special place in Audi motorsport history and will always be remembered for its victory in Adelaide.

As we wait for the beginning of the 2015 Bathurst 12 Hour, let's look back at the previous time that the "Crocodile" raced in Australia. We have embedded the two-hour highlights package of the 2000 ALMS Race of a Thousand Years below, enjoy:

Photo credit: Audi Communications - Motorsport