Gallery: Holdsworth races helicopter

Lee Holdsworth's Coates Hire Ipswich SuperSprint started in unique fashion, pitting his Preston Hire Racing Commodore against the Westpac Rescue Helicopter.

Holdsworth lapped Queensland Raceway on Thursday morning, while the Surf Live Saving Queensland chopper completed its own laps overhead.

The battle marked Surf Live Saving Queensland's standing as the official charity for both the Vodafone Gold Coast 600 in October and Preston Hire Racing.

Practice for this weekend's event starts on Friday with running for Supercars' PIRTEK Enduro Cup co-drivers, with Matthew Brabham to drive Holdsworth's Commodore.