It's finally here.

After all the talk, months of preparation and three days of practice and qualifying, the Bathurst 1000 takes centre stage today.

For pole-sitter Mark Winterbottom, it's a chance to join his two-time winning Ford team-mate Steven Richards in motorsport folklore.

For five-time winner Mark Skaife, it's a chance to build on his legend ..... Rick Kelly and Garth Tander, a chance at redemption.

And for defending champions Craig Lowndes and Jamie Whincup, it's the chance to join the elite few who've gone back-to-back.

"Winning around here is something everyone dreams about," said the 26-year-old Winterbottom, who proved his mettle in Saturday's high pressure shootout to claim pole.

"To get pole is great but to win the race would be ten times better.

"I know Richo's won two and he's told me about them and it's just made me more hungry."

There's an element of symmetry about the starting grid.

The blue of Winterbottom and Richards will sit alongside the red of Skaife and Todd Kelly in the front row.

The championship-leading Holden of Rick Kelly and Garth Tander will be joined in the second row by the Ford of Steven Johnson and Will Davison.

It then goes Ford-Holden-Ford-Holden all the way to position 11, and should make for some interesting battles at the iconic Mount Panorama circuit.

The race, which is more than just a race, begins at 10.30am AEST and finishes some six and a half hours later.

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