Fifty entries have already been received for next year’s inaugural Hi-Tec Oils Bathurst 6 Hour production car race, event organisers have revealed.

An initial entry list released today follows the recent end of the ‘early bird’ entry fee discount and comes well ahead of the final February 28 cut-off.

As many as 72 cars will be allowed to take the start across the eight classes.

Bolstered by runners from the NSW Production Touring Car Championship, the strong Bathurst entry comes at a time when just nine cars took part in the most recent Australian Manufacturers Championship race at Wakefield Park.

“We are very pleased with the early reception to the Hi-Tec Oils Bathurst 6 Hour and the number of entries received to date is above our initial expectations,” said event director James O’Brien.

“The size of the grid already points to a sensational race and proves that there is a place for a race of this nature in the Australian motorsport landscape.

“We expect the field to grow further as entries don’t close until the end of February next year, so there is still plenty of time for people sitting on the fence to get their entry in and become part of what is set to be an amazing grid.”

Split into turbocharged and naturally aspirated sub-categories, Class A entries include seven Mitsubishi Lancer Evos, six HSVs, three 1 Series BMWs and a single Subaru Impreza WRX.

Two-car efforts from the Melbourne Performance Centre, Dylan Thomas’ CXC Global and Jim Pollicina’s Poll Performance headline the strong Mitsubishi line-up.

Lancers won two of the last three Bathurst 12 Hours run to production car rules prior to the addition of GT cars in 2011.

Bathurst 6 Hour entry list as at 30/10/2015