One final blast for Beikoff.

It will be a case of one final blast in 2004 for Konica Minolta V8 Supercar outfit Shane Beikoff Racing, as the team tackles the world famous Mt Panorama circuit this weekend in the 2004 Konica Minolta V8Supercar Challenge.

After missing the final Round of the Konica Minolta V8Supercar Series at Mallala Raceway, the team travels to Bathurst hoping to secure a top ten finish in the 25 Lap support race to the Bob Jane T-Marts Bathurst 1000 on Saturday afternoon.

In the build up to Bathurst, the team has been busy running two public ride days in its V8 Supercar, as well taking part in a test session at Queensland Raceway, which team manager and owner Shane Beikoff describes as the perfect lead up to Bathurst.

"We certainly haven't been sitting on our hands!!" he said. "We've completed two successful ride days for the public, in which the car turned in over 150 laps for each day. It was great to get behind the wheel of a V8Supercar in these days, and it was a great warm up to Bathurst this weekend."

Shane Beikoff Racing also completed a test day at Queensland Raceway recently, in which the team tested British F3 Championship runner Marcus Marshall and New South Wales young up-and-comer Jarred Danaher, which Beikoff describes as a highly successful day for the Archerfield-based V8 Supercar team.

"We were testing with Marshall in order to get him up to speed with V8 Supercars for his recent run at the Sandown 500," Beikoff said, "and the test day definitely benefited both parties - he became familiar with how to drive a V8 Supercar again, and he gave us some very helpful feedback on how the car was performing.

"Marshall is definitely a great talent, he thoroughly deserves to be rubbing wheels with the best in Europe. We also tested Jarred Danaher, a young guy racing in HQ Holdens in New South Wales. He turned out some very, very consistent lap times and was very smooth in his driving - we were very impressed with his V8 Supercar debut experience.

"The car completed over 150 laps on the day, and we mainly worked on engine development for Bathurst and some minor chassis tweaks, but the car is in top condition heading to Mount Panorama this weekend."

Beikoff is out to erase memories of his 2003 campaign at Bathurst, when a rare mechanical failure forced Beikoff into the wall, leaving him, his car and his Bathurst ambitions bruised and battered.

"Last year, the car was a definite top ten finisher in the race, I have no doubt about that," he said. "Our goal is a top ten position come Saturday afternoon, however this year we'll be more looking to conserve and ensure a great finishing position for the Shane Beikoff Racing crew, as well as our all our fans and sponsors."