For the first time in its history, this year's Bathurst 12 Hour enduro at Mount Panorama will feature a night practice session following the event's move from February to May.
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To prepare teams and drivers for dark conditions during the closing stages of the Sunday, May 15 race, an extra 40-minute practice session has been scheduled for the Friday.
The session will start at 5.05pm with sunset expected around 5.12pm, ensuring spectacular scenes as the field blazes around the iconic 6.21km circuit illuminated only by their headlights.
With up to 90 minutes of the race expected to be held in dark conditions now it's being held in late autumn, the session will be vital experience according to Bathurst 12 Hour motorsport operations manager Paul Martin.
"The Friday evening session will be important to get people up to speed with running at night prior to the race start on Sunday morning," Martin said.
"Saturday will then build throughout the day with practice, qualifying and the Top-10 Shootout which is always a Bathurst highlight."
The addition of the night session on Friday means there will now be four practice sessions on the opening day of the event with a further two one-hour practice runs on Saturday before qualifying.
Supercars champion Shane Van Gisbergen has already been confirmed as a competitor in this year's field, racing alongside Red Bull Ampol Racing teammate Broc Feeney in a Triple Eight Race Engineering Mercedes along with Prince Jefri Ibrahim.
Former Bathurst 1000 champion Nick Percat will be racing in an Audi with privateer Mark Rosser and S5000 Australian drivers' champion Joey Mawson, with more Supercars stars expected to be confirmed in coming days.
Australian Associated Press
