Kostecki fastest in Bathurst 1000 Warm Up

Brodie Kostecki has gone fastest in the final session ahead of Sunday’s Repco Bathurst 1000, with Jamie Whincup second.

The championship leader, who claimed pole in Saturday’s ARMOR ALL Top Ten Shootout, helped Erebus Motorsport top its sixth session of the weekend.

Kostecki (#99 Coca-Cola Camaro) clocked a 2:06.3584s before handing over to co-driver David Russell, with Whincup (#88 Red Bull Ampol Camaro) setting a 2:06.4486s in the closing minutes.

While outright pace wasn’t the ambition of the morning, the result sets the tone for a thrilling start to the race with the two front row starting cars first and second.

Andre Heimgartner (#8 R&J Batteries Camaro) ran second with a 2:06.5190s before Whincup moved the #88 Chevrolet into the top two at the death.

Cam Waters (#6 Monster Energy Mustang) opened the batting with a 2:09.9139s, with Tickford Racing teammate Thomas Randle (#55 Castrol Mustang) slotting into second with a 2:06.9666s.

Heimgartner put 0.4s on the field when he bowled out a 2:06.5190s, with Kostecki moving just behind with a 2:06.7782s. Kostecki backed it up with a 2:06.3584s before he gave the reins of the orange-numbered Camaro to Russell.

The session wasn't without its moments, however; notably, Kevin Estre ran the #19 Penrite Ford through the grass at The Chase, while the Shell V-Power Racing Team struggled with a brake pad change on the #11 entry.

The Ford squad battled to get the right-front wheel onto the Anton De Pasquale/Tony D'Alberto entry during a pit stop rehearsal. The car was wheeled into the garage, where it remained for the remainder of the session.

The 60th anniversary Great Race, the 2023 Repco Bathurst 1000, will get underway at 11:15am AEDT.