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Reigning Supercars champion Brodie Kostecki has topped the table at the Bathurst 1000, going the fastest before qualifying begins.
Reigning Supercars champion Brodie Kostecki has shot back to the top of the table at the Bathurst 1000, going fastest in the final practice before qualifying.
Fending off rivals Cam Waters and Broc Feeney, Erebus driver Kostecki put together the perfect lap to go 0.163 seconds ahead of the pack at Mount Panorama on Friday.
It is a rare appearance up front for Kostecki, who has claimed only one podium finish since returning to the sport in round three after an off-season dispute with Erebus.
Winning pole position last year at Mount Panorama after setting the qualifying lap record (2:04.2719), Kostecki could go back-to-back when drivers vie for the best grid spot at 4.15pm (AEDT) on Friday.
Tickford driver Waters finished second, while Feeney was third fastest after the young Red Bull star set the pace in practice three earlier on Friday.
His teammate and championship leader Will Brown was eighth-fastest in a repaired Red Bull Chevrolet Camaro following co-driver Scott Pye's high-speed crash on Thursday.
In a massive effort by the Matt Stone Racing crew, Nick Percat and Cam Hill joined the fray at the midway point after both cars underwent rapid repairs.
The two cars suffered heavy crashes in practice three, two hours before the second session, when Hill's co-driver Cameron Crick had crashed on the way to Forrest's Elbow, before Percat's co-driver Dylan O'Keeffe spun out at Griffins' Bend.
While the cars were far from new, Percat was able to finish 23rd and Hill 22nd.
Triple Eight wildcard entrants Craig Lowndes and Cooper Murray finished 15th after co-driver Murray battled with fuel pressure in practice three.
It was later discovered the Camaro had no fuel.
Feeney overcame three red flags to finish ahead of Tickford pair Thomas Randle and Tyler Everingham on Friday morning.
The session was first halted for 10 minutes when Crick crashed out, before the red flag was brought out again after Jaxon Evans ended up in the gravel after locking up, but the Brad Jones Racing driver luckily avoided damage.
The final red flag came out when O'Keeffe suffered his crash.
Randle and Everingham posted the fastest time in the opening half of the session, before a water-pump issue forced the pair back to the pits.
The Tickford duo, who struggled with a power-steering issue on Thursday, were originally ruled out of the session but were able to return thanks to the red-flag stoppage.