Tim Macrow is Australia’s first S5000 winner after a torrid tussle with John Martin at Sandown Park.

Martin started from pole position but Macrow jumped him to run at the front, and then resisted his rival as he also re-set the lap record at the Melbourne circuit with a time of 65.01 seconds.

“It’s fantastic to take the first win in the new class. I’m really rapt,” said Tim Macrow. “Just to get all of the cars up and running, it’s amazing. It’s a credit to all at ARG.

“To win the first race, it goes down in the history books. I’m pretty happy about that. All of our attention is now for the main race. We have to start down in ninth for the other qualifying race tomorrow morning, and it will be interesting because we haven’t done much racing in these cars.”

Supercars driver James Golding was the surprise packet, claiming third, as former F1 racer Rubens Barrichello could only manage seventh after a first corner dust-up with Barton Mawer.

The third and final day of track action will include the second qualifying race, followed by the all-important Main Race that will award the official winner of the opening race meeting.

Results: S5000 Qualifying Race, Sandown