Bathurst 12H: Event hour 4 report

RAIN has returned to challenge drivers in Australia's longest motor race, the Armor All Bathurst 12 Hour at Mount Panorama today.

The wet track played into the fortunes of the all-wheel drive Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 10 of leader Rod Salmon, who managed to extend the margin to12.5 seconds over second-placed Paul Morris, in a rear-drive BMW 335i.

While the two Pro-Duct team Mitsubishis with a star driving team including Glenn Seton, Jason Bargwanna and Neil Crompton set the early pace, the Pedigree Mitsubishi Salmon shares with 2008 and 2009 co-winner Damien White and New Zealander had led most of the morning.

It had completed 81 laps at 10.30 am and claimed the fastest lap so far, of 2 minutes 30.97 seconds.

Bargwanna was in third place, just ahead of Trevor Symonds and Hollywood actor Eric Bana, also in Mitsubishis.

Pole position winner Steve Owen and the Mitsubishi he was sharing with Canberra brothers Theo and James Koundouris dropped out of contention when the car suffered a fuelling problem and a long pit stop after less than 90 minutes. The car remains in the field, but is eight laps behind the leader.

The safety has been out five times, for incidents resulting mostly from the wet conditions.

A total of 42 cars (correct) started at 6.30 am and face a journey of up to around 1500 kilometres. The Armor All Bathurst 12 Hour, in its fourth year as the ultimate test of showroom-standard production cars, is Australia's longest motor race.

TOP FIVE (9.30 am)

1 Car 1# Rod Salmon, Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 10, 81 laps, lead 12.53 seconds
2 20# Paul Morris, BMW 335i, 81 laps
3 33# Jason Bargwanna, Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 10, 81 laps
4 38# Trevor Symonds, Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9, 81 laps
5 62# Eric Bana, Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 10, 81 laps

-source: bathurst 12h