THE competition on the track at this year's Bathurst 12 Hour will undoubtedly be hot, but Bathurst driver Grant Denyer is anticipating "savage" heat conditions inside the cockpit as well.
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In fact Denyer, who will share the #29 Trofeo Motorsport Lamborghini Huracan GT3 with Dean Canto, Liam Talbot and Marcel Zalloua, feels the predicted high temperatures for the duration of the event will test even the fittest of drivers.
"I reckon one of the biggest challenges is just going to be surviving the conditions, just looking at the temperature forecast for the next couple of days, it's actually pretty scary," he said.
"Friday's 39 degrees, Saturday's 39 and Sunday is 35 maybe with some rain.
"So when you're in the car, it's 25 degrees plus on top of the ambient temperature, so you're talking 65 degrees inside the car.
"With a couple of layers of clothing on and a helmet as well, that's tough for any athlete no matter how fit you are.
"So maybe the people from colder climates might struggle and the cars which are turbo powered are really going to hurt in that heat. It's going to be savage.
"It will be short-straw who gets that lunch time-midday session on Sunday that's for sure, it will be rock, paper, scissors type thing."
Though Denyer knows he will probably face some brutal hours in the seat of the Lamborghini, the predicted high temperatures are not enough to dampen his enthusiasm of forming part of the 12 Hour grid.
It will be his ninth start in annual enduro, one which has already seen him snare a class win (2014) and another three class podiums.
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In the past he has steered Mitsubishi Lancers, a Subaru Impreza, Ford Focus, Porsche 997, Ferrari 458 and a McLaren 650s in the 12 Hour.
"I've had a pretty good run, I've driven a hell of a lot of machinery up there," Denyer said.
"I remember sharing a Ferrari with Mika Salo, a former Formula 1 driver, and going 'Oh my God, I'm living every boyhood dream I ever imagined'.
"I'm really pumped. Naturally it's my home event, I can see the back of the mountain from my house, I feel that magnetic calling of the place. It's my spiritual home for more reasons than just family.
"It's great the mountain is getting great use too ... it's too delicious a piece of tar to not use as often as possible. It's great for the town when the hordes flood in and the TV cameras put a focus on Bathurst globally."
The first practice session for this year's Bathurst 12 Hour commences at 8.40am Friday, while the race itself will be green lighted at 5.45am Sunday.
