MELBOURNE, Victoria, Australia — official release — V8SC photo — Wilson Security Sandown 500 favourites Jamie Whincup and Paul Dumbrell have gone about their business by climbing to the top of the practice charts on the opening day of the Pirtek Enduro Cup.

Whincup posted the fastest practice lap of the day in his only on-track session while Dumbrell logged the third fastest time, making them the form pair early in the weekend.

Frenchman Alex Premat, who drove fulltime for Garry Rogers Motorsport last year, surprised with the second quickest time of the day in the Valvoline GRM Volvo he shares with Scott McLaughlin.

Part-timer Jonathon Webb, also a Championship driver last year, clocked third. He is teaming up with flying Kiwi Shane van Gisbergen this weekend.

Whincup has been quietly clocking up points and extending his Championship lead in the last three events. With 900 points on offer in the next three Pirtek Enduro Cup events, it is a critical time in the Championship.

“It was good to warm the car up,” Whincup said at days end. “I think it was five or six hours ago we got in it, did a couple of laps and warmed it up and then handed it over to PD. Today was about co-driver running, they pretty much got all the run in to try and set the car up for qualifying and the race.”