Lowndes and Winterbottom on the edge of the mountain

Bathurst great Craig Lowndes and current Champion Mark Winterbottom are completely comfortable at 300km an hour coming down one of the world's most famous mountains.

Put them on top of another mountain with just a piece of rope and it's a completely different story.

Exactly one month until this year's Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000, Red Bull Racing's Lowndes and Pepsi Max Crew FPR's Winterbottom joined young Mount Panorama hopefuls Scott McLaughlin, David Reynolds, Tim Slade and Nick Percat at the gateway to Bathurst - the Blue Mountains.

The five challenged themselves to stand on the edge of a mountain and literally let go. Some fared better than others. The sheer drop was, almost, as daunting as Mountain Straight, Skyline or Conrod.

Lowndes is relishing heading back to Mount Panorama and starting the Pirtek Enduro Cup this weekend at the Wilson Security Sandown 500.

This time of year is synonymous with Lowndes who has five Bathurst crowns and an incredible eight Sandown wins - just one less than all-time Sandown Champion Peter Brock.

Lowndes also has a new co-driver in Steven Richards, ironically Winterbottom's winning Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000 partner last year.

"You go there (to Bathurst) not knowing what to expect and of course that's the fear factor of not knowing. When you break through it becomes more natural," said Lowndes.

"It was great having time with Brock because he captured everything that Bathurst means; you really get to absorb everything. The atmosphere is electrifying and that's why we all get the buzz.

"For me it's a great time of year, it's a circuit and a racetrack that I thoroughly enjoy and love coming back, you can't get enough of it."

That's why Lowndes thinks Richards is the perfect teammate.

"He's one half of the past winners from last year. He is really pumped and we're happy to have him on board. He has clicked with Jeromy Moore, my engineer, and I which is so critical."

Reigning Bathurst Champion Winterbottom found himself on the edge of a cliff-scape and is perhaps in a similar situation on-track as arch-rival Jamie Whincup mounts his Championship challenge.

Winterbottom heads to the Wilson Security Sandown 500 this weekend in Melbourne to start the three-race Pirtek Enduro Cup season that includes Bathurst and the Castrol EDGE Gold Coast 600.

"Most of the guys have that fear of heights or something, where we drive 300 kilometres an hour people are surprised that we have fears, looking over the edge it is a bit daunting. You have no control so a little bit different," said Winterbottom.

"It's beautiful here, it's crazy to go to Sydney, drive past this place and not stop because it is a wondrous place. I might come here for a few days before the stress of Bathurst."

Despite his recent form Winterbottom is confident the Pirtek Enduro Cup is his chance to take back the Championship lead from Whincup by repeating last year's result.

"Bathurst is definitely one of those races," he said. "We are confident that although our form hasn't been as good as it should be Sandown can change that and be a good lead into Bathurst.

"We are still confident, we think we can get the win so it's going to be a great race, there's a lot of good teams and cars out there at the moment."

Winterbottom makes his 150th V8 Supercar Championship round start at Sandown.

He becomes the 20th driver in Championship history to reach the mark, which ironically comes at the same circuit where he made his V8SC debut as a Stone Brothers Racing endurance driver back in 2003.

The 33-year-old won the Sandown 500 in 2006 with Jason Bright and was runner-up with Steve Richards in 2012. He also claimed pole position for the race in 2007.

The countdown has started to the Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000 October 9 - 12. With the race for the revered Peter Brock trophy wide open get set to experience the electrifying action trackside.