Kicking off on Friday, the three-day festival will have car enthusiasts tempted with a range of different car categories.

This year’s festival attracted 323 entrants from across the state and further afield who will compete in seven categories.

Event director James O’Brien said the weekend is a great opportunity for people to bring along their family.

“We’re continuing the tradition and providing an opportunity for lots of different cars that would never race here,” he said.

Mr O’Brien said it will be an exciting race weekend for car enthusiasts with “short and sharp races” with action on and off the track.

The line-up for race categories includes Formula 3, historic tour cars, production sports cars and production touring cars.

First to hit the track on Friday are the Formula 3 entrants who will kick off their practice session at 8.20am.

There is also an opportunity for drivers to race against there own times in the “regularity” sections across the weekend.

Cars in this category include the Porsche Club of NSW and the NSW Road Racing Club that will have 106 competitors.

During a regularity session, drivers compete “against themselves” trying to get as close to their best time they have set previously, whomever gets closest wins.

“It’s safer and they don’t need all the safety requirements of a race car and they can effectively just be a road car,” Mr O’Brien said.

While the festival is smaller than the annual Bathurst 1000 or the 12 Hour, Mr O’Brien said this is a huge benefit for the crowds.

“Because it’s a smaller event there is more access,” he said.

Entry to the Bathurst Motor Festival is free of charge, however spectators are asked to contribute a ‘bank note’ donation to the official event charity, Legacy.

“We raised $12,500 last year and this is the third year we’ve supported Legacy,” Mr O’Brien said.

“It’s an affordable day out for the family.”

Practice and qualifying sessions will be held today, followed by regularity and race sessions on the weekend.

Action starts from 8.50am on Friday, 8.20am on Saturday and 8.50am on Sunday. 

For information, or the full race schedule, visit www.bathurstmotorfestival.com.au.