The opening shots have been fired in private practice for Sunday’s Dial Before You Dig Australian Six Hour, with Stuart Kostera and Warren Luff topping the time charts in their Mitsubsihi Lancer EVO 10.

There were also some surprises up and down pit lane, with late additions to the field including Paul Morris, who will partner Ryan McLeod and Garry Holt in the Holden Astra, and motorsport veteran Graham Moore, who will be making a comeback to competition aboard an Osbourne Motorsport Mazda 3 MPS.

Jim Beam Racing V8 Supercar Endurance Driver Warren Luff believes tyres will be a determining factor in the race.

“It’s going to be all down to tyre wear, I think it’s going to be a major issue here at Eastern Creek,” Warren Luff said.

“I think from the start there will be a fairly conservative pace at the front of the field, if you charge away at the start you will just burn up your tyres.

“The race really starts in the last 45 minutes.

“I’m really looking forward to it; I think we’re set for a good race.

“Stuart has been going really well in the championship to date, and we certainly have the package to get the job done.

“I haven’t driven the car since the 12 Hour, but Ralliart have done a great job preparing it.”

Although Kostera has been the pace setter to date in the Australian Manufacturers Championship, he is behind in the points chase after difficult rounds at Bathurst and Phillip Island.

“We really need to get a good result to get back in the championship points hunt,” Stuart Kostera said.

“The quality of the field at the front here at the Six Hour is a lot stronger than in the past couple of rounds, so it’s going to be hard work.”

Today also saw John Bowe take to the track in the BMW 335i he will share with Peter O’Donnell, with the wily veteran setting the second quickest time overall for the day.

“This is the car I won the Bathurst 12 Hour in this year, but I haven’t driven it since then,” John Bowe said.

“During my first couple of laps in practice, it all came flooding back to me just how great a category this is.

“The cars are just brilliant to drive, the slide around, they just don’t have the grip that you’re accustomed to, it’s like racing was back in the day where you had to really look after the car.

“I think these long distance races are just what the category needs.”

One team looking to make amends from a difficult last start is the father-son team of Des and David Wall, joined by Trevor Symonds in a Lancer EVO 9.

At the Bathurst 12 Hour in February, the team were disqualified from a podium position after a tyre irregularity, where different compounds of tyres were fitted to the car during the race.

“It’s quite a shame that the (12 Hour) race didn’t work out for us,” Des Wall said.

“We made a mistake, there was no advantage in it, and we didn’t keep it a secret from anyone.

“The tyre rules were in the supp regs and not the CAMS Manual, and the rule is more designed to keep teams in check during the sprint races.

“We had a test day two or three weeks ago, and it went really well.

“The car seems pretty good, and we haven’t made too many changes to it since Bathurst.

“Obviously the Heaphy (Team Mitsubishi Ralliart Australia) cars will be quick, as will John Bowe’s BMW.

“We are probably outclassed by a few of these other cars, but for what it is, we’re still aiming to do a good job.”

Another father-son combination looking to bounce back is Tony and Klark Quinn, who suffered brake failure and a heavy accident during the last start in their EVO 9 Lancer.

Tony was at his jovial best after first practice.

“Fantastic,” Tony Quinn said, “We’re only three or four second off the pace at this stage.”

“When you think about it, when you’re sitting in a doctor’s waiting room, three or four seconds is absolutely nothing!

“We’ll be fine, Klark (Quinn) will be here tomorrow, and he’ll do the hard work.

“I gave the car a bit of a run at Phillip Island last weekend, and there were a few suspension issues.

“There’s still a bit of work to be done, but the team’s on top of it.”

Revealed trackside today was the new two-car team of Renault Clio 197s that will compete in the race this weekend.

Present for the announcement was 1970 Australian Rally Champion Bob Watson, who presented his championship winning trophy to Renault Australia CEO Rudi Koenig.

For those who can’t be trackside at Eastern Creek for the event on Sunday, all of the action will be streamed live via the Shannons Nationals website at www.thenationals.com.au/australian6hour/ from 9:00am.

The meeting doubles as the sixth round of the 2010 Shannons Nationals Motor Racing Championships, with support races including the Australian Saloon Car Series, HQ Holdens and the Mazda MX5 Challenge.

Saturday admission is free, with practice, qualifying and racing commencing at 9:05am, while Sunday admission is $20 for adults, $15 for concessions, with children under 13 free.

Sunday’s action will kick off with a Six Hour warm up at 9:00am, followed by the final race for the Saloon Cars, with the main race kicking off at 10:30am.

About the Dial Before You Dig Australian Six Hour

New for 2010, the Dial Before You Dig Australian Six Hour at Eastern Creek on July 18 will become a highlight on the Australian motorsport calendar. Doubling as round four of the Australian Manufacturers Championship, the world’s top automotive brands will be pitted against each other, with marques including BMW, HSV, FPV, Mitsubishi, Subaru, Mazda, Honda, Toyota, Renault and Alfa Romeo.

Colin Bond will act as Grand Marshall for the inaugural event, giving competitors the command to start their engines, as well as presenting trophies on the podium.

About Dial Before You Dig

Dial Before You Dig is a free national community service designed to prevent damage and disruption to the vast pipe and cable networks which provides Australia with everyday essential services, including electricity, gas, communications and water.

The service is also designed to protect Australia’s excavators.

From back yard renovators, to tradesmen and professional excavators, Dial Before You Dig provides accurate information about work sites, minimising the potential for injury and personal liability.

For further details on Dial Before You Dig, phone 1100 during business hours or log onto www.1100.com.au