Ojeda surprise pacesetter in first Sandown practice

Rookie Jayden Ojeda and PremiAir Racing have been surprise pacesetters in the opening practice session of the Penrite Oil Sandown 500.

Ojeda, who made his debut with PremiAir at Sandown 12 months ago, put just under two tenths of a second on the field, while teammate Cooper Murray was also fast out of the gate.

In the first of two back-to-back 25 minute sessions, it was imperative for the seven remaining Finals drivers to roll out strong, as evidenced by Brodie Kostecki diving straight down into a 1:08.9627s.

Chaz Mostert, meanwhile, was bedding in brakes on his #1 Mobil 1 Optus Toyota early in the session, while fellow Finalists Cam Waters, Will Brown, and Broc Feeney were also comfortably inside the top 10 early.

Championship leader Matt Payne was well down in 21st early, but the #19 Penrite Ford would lift comfortably into the top five, and into a top 10 that featured several non-Finals Drivers.

Thomas Randle, James Golding, David Reynolds, Ryan Wood, and Ojeda all featured inside the top 10 early in the session, while Mostert would also lift himself inside the 10, though was complaining about his gearbox.

Jack Le Brocq, meanwhile, missed the entire session, after Matt Stone Racing discovered they had the wrong drop gear ratio installed on the #4 Sherrin Rentals Camaro.

Ojeda went fastest late on a 1:08.7984s, as Broc Feeney had a big moment at Turn 1 as he bounced twice off the inside kerb, and tripped over the outside kerb trying to catch the #88 Ford.

There was a higher than usual divergence on tyre strategy among the field, with an even split of drivers using the Soft and Super Soft tyre. Both tyres will be in use for one race each across the course of the weekend.

Kostecki was the best of the Finals Drivers in second, ahead of Payne (fourth), Brown (eighth), Mostert (10th), Waters (11th), Feeney (13th), and Anton De Pasquale (18th).

Practice 2 will commence at 3:25pm AEDT.