Warren Luff is confident of a strong – yet busy – Porsche Carrera Cup Australia round at Sandown Raceway after posting the quickest practice time among the championship’s largest field in a decade.

Luff eclipsed the previous fastest time of Michael Patrizi late in the second practice session, while Stephen Grove was the strongest Elite Class performer.

Patrizi posted the second fastest time from Craig Baird, Shae Davies, Michael Almond, Nick Foster, Sam Power and championship points leader Steven Richards in eighth.

Luff was pleased with his pace ahead of a busy weekend where he, Richards and Baird will juggle driving duties between Carrera Cup and V8 Supercars.

“It’s obviously a good confidence booster going into the weekend and it shows that, as a team, we’re doing something right,” said Luff.

“The transition between the Porsche and V8 Supercar isn’t too bad because the cars are so completely different to drive – left-hand drive to right-hand drive, paddle-shift to sequential gear changes – they’re so different to drive that you really have to get your head around it as soon as you leave the pits. In some ways it makes it easier that the cars are so completely different.”

Elite Class pace-setter Grove was the ninth quickest driver overall and was only one second adrift to the time of Luff.

Grove enters the final three events with the Elite Class lead and suggests he won’t be taking a conservative approach at the Victorian track.

“It was good being the quickest in the Elite Class, but tomorrow is far more important,” said Grove.

“In Sydney for the last round I tried the conservative approach and it didn’t really work so I’m just here to race and get the best possible results I can.”

Porsche Carrera Cup Australia will hold qualifying and it’s opening Sandown race on Saturday, followed by two races on Sunday.

Race Schedule
Saturday September 13, 2014
12:50pm–1:10pm Qualifying 20 minutes
3:35pm–4:00pm Race 1 17 laps
Sunday September 14, 2014
9:35am–10:00am Race 2 17 laps
12:25pm–12:50pm Race 3 17 laps

Broadcast Schedule
Carrera Cup – Race 1 (live)
Date: Saturday September 13, 2014
Time: 3:35pm (local time)
Channel: 7mate
Carrera Cup – Race 2 (delayed)
Date: Sunday September 14, 2014
Time: 11:30am (local time)
Channel: 7mate