Vodafone open up top at Bathurst.

Defending champions Craig Lowndes and Jamie Whincup secured top spot for Team Vodafone after the first day's practice for the Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000 as they seek to secure a hat-trick of wins at Mount Panorama. The Ford duo were less than a second outside Greg Murphy's lap record and finished clear of Murphy and Jason Richards in the first of the Sprint Gas Racing Holden Commodores. Ford Performance Racing duo Mark Winterbottom and Steven Richards were third fastest. Completing the top five after the three practice sessions was the HSV team of Rick Kelly and Paul Radisich and veterans Russell Ingall and Paul Morris fifth in the Supercheap Holden team. All the leading teams were ‘happy' with the opening day of running aside from a joking Ingall. “I just can't stand all this happiness. Everyone's happy,” Ingall said.... [read full story]