The Peter Xiberras-owned PremiAir remains the only Chevrolet squad not to have scored a podium since the Gen3 era began.

It’s come agonisingly close, most notably scoring a pair of fourth-place finishes for Golding at Hidden Valley in June, the first of which came from pole position.

Russell made a surprise switch to PremiAir during 2024 amid turmoil at his former team, Erebus Motorsport.

The 42-year-old finished second in both the Sandown 500 and Bathurst 1000 last year alongside Brodie Kostecki, making him a desired pick-up.

“It’s been awesome having D-Russ onboard,” Golding beamed in the lead-up to the Sandown 500. 

“We obviously haven’t been in racing conditions yet, but to have his experience, he has a lot of runs on the board. Hopefully we can add to that as well.

“He’s got some podiums, which is bloody awesome, heading to those tracks he knows he can get the job done and give some advice to the rest of the team as well.

“We’ve been trying to build up with as many good, experienced people as possible and that’s just another one to add to the list, so can’t wait to see what we can achieve together.”

Russell is a co-driving journeyman with a long resume that includes stints at PremiAir’s forerunner Tekno Autosports, Dick Johnson Racing, Kelly Racing, Tickford Racing and Matt Stone Racing.

Motivated to go one better in the enduros this year, Russell notes there’s already plenty of experienced heads inside the PremiAir garage.

The squad is led by team manager Stephen Robertson and competition director Ludo Lacroix, both ex-Triple Eight men with subsequent stints at Grove Racing and DJR respectively.

“From the first time I was in the workshop, I could see they had the finger on the pulse,” said Russell of his new team.

“They’re very well organised, a very experienced group.

“Even right down to mechanics and knowing the truck driver Mick, for me it’s a lot of familiar faces, people I’ve known and seen in the motorsport industry.

“It’s great to have that level of experience and that means, under pressure or if things change, you’ve got some, I won’t say old heads, but experience. 

“They’re well versed to be able to make the right calls and I feel as a driver I’m in that same position.”

Russell preaches a methodical approach to the endurance events.

“My key thing that I take to the enduros is just ticking the boxes,” he said.

“If you’ve got all of those things and can try and execute your strategy and everything within that plan, you get to the end of it and hopefully have the result to show for it.”

Golding has a simpler plan.

“Definitely maximum attack at Sandown,” he said.

“Obviously being an enduro, you’ve got to treat it like that, but we’ll be going all out. We’re not running in any championships or anything like the other guys are.”

PremiAir was the only team not to test ahead of Sandown, instead keeping its final Queensland Raceway hitout of the year for pre-Bathurst.