Garry Holt and Stuart Kostera will start Sunday’s Australian 4 Hour at Sydney Motorsport Park from pole position after the #20 Mitsubishi Lancer proved the class of the field in qualifying.

Triple champion Kostera’s 1:41.62s best in the second of two 20 minute sessions proved 0.57s quicker than that managed by the Beric Lynton/Tim Leahey BMW 1M.

The second row will also be made up of a Mitsubishi and BMW, with the Aaron Seton/Glenn Seton/Bob Pearson Lancer third quickest ahead of the Tony Alford/Ryan McLeod 1M.

Sixteen-year-old Aaron Seton had set the pace during Qualifying 1 before handing over to the car’s more experienced pilots for the second hit-out.

Holt and Kostera are meanwhile hopeful that they can convert pole into a victory, turning around a season that has seen mechanical failures cripple their charge in the opening two events.

“Last year we had a very good run and went on to win our forth championship but this year it has completely gone the other way, we have been to two rounds and haven’t yet finished,” said.Holt 
.

“I have got zero points on the board at the moment, so the chances of winning the championship this year are virtually zero, but it would be nice to win and finish a round this year.”

The AMChamps field is down to 16 cars following the withdrawal of Osborne Motorsport’s two Mazda 3 MPSs.

Team owner Colin Osborne elected to withdraw his remaining entry following team-mate Brock Giblin’s accident on Friday, which left the 17-year-old with serious burns.

“We feel it is the right decision as we can’t be 100 percent focused on what we need to do this weekend to compete, and we believe it isn’t responsible to continue for ourselves or our fellow racers if we can’t be completely focused,” said Osborne, whose car completed practice on Friday afternoon and Saturday morning before being withdrawn.

“The team wants to thank everyone for their support this weekend, and for their continuing support of Brock.”

The Sports Racer Series, Radical Australia Cup and Superkart Championships join the Australian Manufacturers’ Championship in Sydney as part of the Shannons Nationals event.

The opening Sports Racer contest saw Adam Proctor (Stohr) lead home six Wests, led by Roger I’Anson.

Briton James Winslow meanwhile scored pole in the Radicals, out-pacing reigning champion Neale Muston and series stalwart Greg Smith.

Ilya Harpas proved the man to beat in the Superkarts, winning the opening three races of the weekend following early mechanical problems for pole-sitter Russell Jamieson.