Erebus Motorsport feel confident heading into the year’s biggest event, after mixing it with the big guns at Sandown last month.
David Reynolds topped the qualifying session on the Saturday, the first for the team after their change to Holden’s last year.
Co-driver Luke Youlden then converted it into victory for the opening Race for the Grid, also the first win for the team since the switch.
“It may not count in the record book but to us a pole is a pole, and a win’s a win,” Erebus Motorsport’s General Manager Barry Ryan said.
Dale Wood and Chris Pither also impressed; the duo climbing their way to 7th during Saturday’s two 20-lap sprints.
Although the team’s run was halted by tyre punctures to both of its Commodores during Sunday’s main event, Ryan is confident heading into Bathurst.
“Saturday (at Sandown) showed that we had one-lap speed, and we had race pace,” he said.
“We had a few little things on Sunday that hurt us and we weren’t able to get the result, but we are definitely moving in the right direction.
“We have proven that we learn fast as a team, and the lessons we learnt at Sandown will again make us stronger; we are miles ahead of where we were this time last year and there is no reason why we can’t be up there with the teams at the other end of pitlane.”
Erebus Motorsport sit fifth in the Team’s Championship ahead of this weekend, after finishing inside the top 10 in 11 of the last 14 races.
“Realistically for Bathurst and the rest of the year we are aiming for pole positions and race wins,” Ryan said.
“We have raised our own bar by achieving both of these at Sandown and there’s no reason why we can’t continue doing so.
“We are in a good position; Chris and Luke are both top five co-drivers and this opens up strategy and allows confidence to attack Bathurst (and Gold Coast) head on.”
Erebus also head to Mount Panorama holding the current race lap record – a time of 2:06.2769 set by David Reynolds last year.
Cars will be on track from 9:45am local time on Thursday, for the first of six practice sessions.