Climbing the mountain: Cameron Hill the first Canberran in 16 years to race at Bathurst

Everything behind it has a story. The tyres. The cars. The people, like dad Colin tinkering with this and that in the background. His partner Emily, who has spent the week packing "refuelling kits". Even the smell.

"Just growing up around it ... the smell of race fuel, it takes you back to it all," Hill grins.

The workshop is the real engine room of Hill's operation. It's every bit as important as the powerful V8 he'll be driving when he becomes the first Canberran since 2006 to race in the iconic Bathurst 1000 this weekend.

It's a moment he has been dreaming of since first sitting in a go-kart as a nine-year-old, when Colin would take him to dirt tracks before graduating to the real races.

Unfortunately, dreams don't come cheap in motor sport.

Hill estimates he and his parents have pumped at least $1 million into his career, which has led to a breakthrough moment on the biggest stage of all.

In between working to secure the required sponsorship dollars from companies to fund his ambition, Hill always ends up back at the workshop. That's where he finds the reminders that reinforce every step has been worthwhile.

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"I've been so lucky to do it with my family," Hill says.

"We've been able to do it as a team. We took a left-field approach because it was the only way we could do it. Having done it this way, I have a pretty large appreciation for all the work, time and money that's gone into it.

"There's a lot of people behind the scenes who have put a lot into this to make it happen."

Hill will become the first Canberra driver at Bathurst since Dale Brede competed in 2006. Brede was a six-time Bathurst entrant and, in a strange twist, is now one of Hill's mentors.

Hill's team director Ben Gathercole connected the two, who now speak regularly about what it takes to earn a crack at the Supercar category.

"We started chatting about some advice and now we speak about once a month," Brede said.

"It's about making sure you make the right decision ... jumping at one chance might not necessarily be the right decision.

"The good thing for Cam is I've got feedback and experience from my career because I look back and think if I went left instead of right, it would've made a huge difference for me.

"He's thrown himself into the fire at this point. He doesn't want to just be there a paid driver, he wants to be there because he's talented and can make a career of it."

Hill made the step into the Super 2 level this year after signing a deal with Triple Eight Race Engineering in a bid to earn a Supercars opportunity.

It all paid off when he was offered a chance to be Chris Pither's co-driver for the most important race on the Supercars calendar.

Hill won the Bathurst Six Hour event earlier this year and has plenty of experience at the famous track.

"But this is going to be an eye-opener for him," Brede said.

"It's a massive step. It's the most difficult, unforgiving track, but the most rewarding to drive. I said to him to remember to enjoy it. He's familiar with the track ... Now it's the pressure of driving with the big boys."

Hill adds: "I love when Bathurst rolls around.

"Just the atmosphere around the race. There are guys who have been racing all year who you have to say are the favourites. But it's 1000 kilometres. Anyone can win.

"As they say, you don't choose the mountain. The mountain chooses you."

He'll spend up to 90 minutes in the car at any one time in a tag-team effort with Pither.

"It's violent in there. Inside the car is pretty hostile ... you're driving this thing to within an inch of exploding," Hill said.

"But there's absolutely nothing better than doing it."

There's a reason Hill's first word as a baby was "car". Colin is the reason Hill is behind the wheel. They've been a father-son, mechanic-driver duo for the past 17 years.

Colin raced in motocross before switching to four wheels.

"My background's always been in engineering and fabrication and that's what we do now," Colin said.

"Always tinkering. It's just what I love doing ... So this is pretty surreal. I don't know if it's sunk in yet. When I see him fanging around, that's when it'll hit home."

Mum Helen and partner Emily will also make the trip to Bathurst to watch.

Helen is a nervous watcher, wearing out the carpet if she's at home or pacing back and forth at the track if she's at an event.

"She's hopeless," Colin laughs.

"I'm OK, definitely not as bad as what she is. We're pretty proud. It'll be cool to see him on the track. It doesn't just happen. You don't just luck it, you make your luck. And I think he can hold his own."

Emily has been handling race-day refuelling, making sure Hill is eating and drinking enough to get him through the gruelling conditions in the car.

Hill started in go-karts and won the National Pro Junior title in 2012. He progressed to Formula Ford and dominated the category in 2015, winning 12 races to lay the platform for the following years.

He moved into the Toyota 86 series and won the first five races of his debut season in 2016. His tally of 13 wins overall makes him the most successful driver at that level.

"In the beginning it starts at fun. But at some point it crosses over and you can see that you can make a career from doing this," Hill said.

"The reason we do it is because we love competing, love racing. It's one thing to drive fast, but it's better to drive faster than the other guy. That's what it all comes down to."

He moved to the Porsche championship and won the title in 2021 before deciding to take the next step to Super 2 to chase a Supercars seat.

He will race in both the Super 2 and Supercars categories this weekend, hitting top speeds of almost 300km/h.

"I hadn't thought about [being the first Canberran in 16 years] and I guess it's cool to fly the flag," Hill said.

"I'll try to do everyone proud. I think every race car driver dreams of racing in the Bathurst 1000. It's a massive dream come true, a bucket list item for me.

"Occasionally I get a moment to think about and you get those nerves because it is a big deal. But I haven't had too much time to stress, which has been good.

"To race Supercars is the ambition. It's the pinnacle of motor sport here in Australia. Everything in the last few years has been working towards that.

"Now I've got this opportunity. I hope for me it's the foot in the door."

Hill has also now branched out to operating a racing team.

"One car became two. Now we've gone to four cars, and I enjoy that," Hill said.

"Having done it ourselves, it was a good apprenticeship. Nothing was handed to us.

"I juggle that on top of trying to further my own career."

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