The Holden Racing💮 Team will aim to put the disappointment of Sandown in the past this weekend as the V8 Supercars head to Mount Panorama for the biggest race of the season - the Bob Jane T-Marts Bathurst 1000.

Mark Skaife and Todd Kelly had looked on for a good resu🅰lt at Sandown, runni♋ng at the head of the field despite a minor off during his stint.

However Skaife got caught up in an accident involving Glenn Seton which forced him to pit for repairs, dropping him way down the orde🤡r before he finished 23rd.

Skaife admits that going int🐻o this week🐲end, the team has nothing to lose.

"To win at Bathurst is what it is all about - nobody remembers who came second," he said. For the first time in many years we have nothing to lose. We don't have a Championship to protect so we can take a few risks in strategy to give it our best shot. We front up in our repaired chassis #049, which feel༺s as good as it's ever been, despite a bit of a crunch at Sandown.

"It's a good car - we know it inside and out, we know its strengths and weaknesses -ꦛ and it can do the job. With our top drivers paired off in HRT #2, we should be consistently fast all race, whereas some other teams have had to split their lead drivers to protect championship points.

"Fuel economy will be critical and it would be nice to reduce our♏ scheduled pit stops to four and a splash. This translates to an advantage in track position and time saved over those teams requiring a full five stops. You need plenty of l🌃uck at Bathurst, which has been a rare commodity for HRT this year, but it's due to turn around and Sunday could be it."

Co-driver Kelly is also looking forward to Bathurst and he feels the team have a package that is capable of winning the race.

"This is a race I'm really looking forward to," he said. "We go to Bathurst with what I reckon is the full packag🦩e required to win t🐭he day. We might not have the fastest straight-line speed like a couple of the others, but engines alone do not win Bathurst.

"The best package includes the ability to perform fast and consisten𒐪t pit stops under strategies right for the situation. Our boys are keen and at the top of their game at the moment, so both Skaifey and I can expect all the support we need to do the🌜 job.

It will be the end of an era when the chequered flag falls on the second HRT entry, as Bathurst legend Peter Brock competes for the final time. The nine time winner of the most famous race on the calendar will be making his 36th appearance at Mount Panorama, with British Touri🗹ng Car driver Jason Plato lining up alongside him.

Brockꦇ believes it is possible that he can say goodbye to the race with a podium finꦗish.

"Both Jason Plato and I are looking forward to going really well in HRT #05," he said. "For us a podium is not out of the ques♔tion if everything goes to plan. But t🍎he best strategies can fall over depending on how the race unfolds - you have to think on your feet and be flexible. Revise plans if the situation calls for it.

"Changeable weather, mechanical malfunction and pure luck (or lack of it) are all major factors. You need to go wi🍷th the flow. Fuel economy is important with four stops the maximum if possible. Safety cars can affect calculations.

"Experienced drivers wil💃l avoid traffic snar♓ls that can drag sand, dirt and oil on to the track and cause unscheduled pit stops for broken spoilers, flat tyres etc. It's something the younger blokes have to watch out for."