'Proper motorsport': Sandown 500 makes a return

Almost four years since the last endurance race ran, drivers will again toil long and hard for the coveted Sandown 500 trophy.

Known as the traditional September curtain raiser to the Bathurst 1000, the iconic 161-lap race has been missing from the fixture since 2019.

Dick Johnson Racing's Will Davison took out the first of three races at Sandown last year but concedes the sprint victory couldn't compare to an enduro win.

"Last year was a fantastic weekend but certainly it is very irrelevant for this year, and we're well aware of that," he said.

"This is where the 500 has made so many amazing memories and stories. It's a race that stands on its own."

Davison will share the car with brother Alex on the weekend, while evergreen veterans Jamie Whincup and Craig Lowndes make their return to the track as co-drivers with Triple Eight Race Engineering.

Triple Eight are one victory away from becoming the first team in Supercars history to reach 250 wins, having taken out the last two Sandown enduro races.

But success won't come easy, with championship leader Brodie Kostecki (Erebus Motorsport) looking to give Triple Eight a run for their money.

With co-driver David Russell, he clocked the fastest lap out of all three sessions on Friday finishing in 1:08.712, beating Broc Feeney and co-driver Whincup's fastest lap by 0.585 seconds.

Despite five Sandown enduro wins to his name, Whincup confesses he has yet to master the new Gen3 car.

"Last year's car, I had so much muscle memory - I'd just jump in," he said on Friday.

"I expect it to be as quick as the main guys but this car, that's not the case.

"There's definitely going to be a big step down between the main guys and the co-drivers."

Drivers will no longer have to make a compulsory pit stop for this year's endurance races but will need to formulate a strategy around fuel range and tyre life.

At least 54 laps will be necessary to make two pit stops feasible but there are question marks around how to tackle tyre stops, given the nature of the track.

"There's some parts of the track that I reckon are 30 years old - which is not a bad thing," Whincup said.

"It's all part of the challenge of trying to get the thing to last ... it's a proper motorsport."

With four rounds to go, snatching the big win at Sandown will be crucial for securing the championship title.

Kostecki leads Shane van Gisbergen (Triple Eight) in the series by 137 points, followed by Feeney and Will Brown (Erebus).