Top Kiwi V8 Supercar series pairing Shane van Gisbergen and John McIntyre are aiming for a better finish as they tackle their second L&H 500 endurance race together at Victoria's fast, flowing Phillip Island circuit this weekend.
The Stone Brothers Racing/SP Tools Ford Falcon pair qualified sixth last year but were an early casualty of a mystery engine problem which slowed but never quite stopped the SP Tools Falcon and meant that, although they made it to the finish line, they finished a lowly 27th.
Van Gisbergen had previously twice finished 10th at the annual endurance season opener at Phillip Island, with team-mate Alex Davison in 2009 and with Jonathan Webb in 2008.
The L&H 500 meeting has a unique format with individual 20-minute qualifying sessions and 14-lap/60km qualifying races for each driver on Saturday and a shared 113-lap/500km enduro on Sunday.
A good run from each driver is important on Saturday because the grid for Sunday's enduro is based on the combined result from the two sprint races.
