Due to wet weather on Saturday, Duggan’s fastest lap times – 3:53.669 in 3:25.763 – in her two practice sessions were well off last year’s time of 3:00.674.

However the 27-year-old set her target of 3:02.0 for her first practice session and 3:05.0 for her second practice session. 

“Hopefully I can get there. You just need a clean run. It’s hard when there’s so many different cars out there but it’s so fun,” she said. 

“The target this year was tough considering how wet it was on Saturday. 

“[Sunday] was phenomenal. It’s hard because there’s so many cards on the field. I did 3:04.2 (regularity group C trial one, lap six) which is four seconds off the fastest last year.”

Duggan best time in the second trial was 3:02.1.

She said the car went surprisingly well in the rain on Saturday. 

“The car has got a lot of grip in the wet. I wasn’t pushing too hard because I knew [Sunday] would be the better day,” she said. 

“Front wheel drive she starts slipping out a bit. You hold on the gas, she doesn’t lift, you don’t do nothing.

“She’ll sort of correct herself, which is nice.”

The quickest time in Duggan’s first trial was set by Peter Dixon, who finished in a time of 2:46.4 in his fourth lap.

Dixon at set himself a target of 2:50.0.

Duggan said it was great experience to race against some fast cars. 

“It was good to keep up with some of the faster cars because the faster cars kind of packed off and didn’t use all their power. I was okay to use my power, so it was even playing field.”

Duggan has now been driving her Hyundai Excel for four years.

Having not raced around the iconic Mount Panorama circuit since last year’s Challenge Bathurst, she has been fantasising about going around it again.

“Last year was the first time I had driven around Mount Panorama – since then, I’ve had almost 12 months to reflect on the experience, and I’ve done hundreds of laps in my head,” she said. 

“Over the top of the Mountain, you’re dancing the car right on the limit through Reid Park and McPhillamy Park, and then guiding it through the concrete canyon at the Esses and the Dipper.

“In order to do the fastest lap, you have to be millimetres away from having a massive crash. It’s the ultimate place for rewarding commitment and bravery.

“I fell in love with the Mountain last year.”

She raced at the Kumho Series at Sandown last year.

“Last year I debut in a Supercar in the Kumho Series down at Sandown for the opening round for the Kumho Series,” she said.

“Jumping out of Hyundai Excel into a Supercar was just amazing. I felt comfortable straight away in the car. It was just fine-tuning it and getting everything right.

“The power, oh my gosh, I loved every minute at.”