Having played the Supercars season finale role in 2020 and 2021, as part of reshuffled schedules due to the global health crisis, the Great Race will have a more traditional look and feel this time around.
It has reclaimed its traditional early October slot and is the third-last round of the season, to be followed by the Gold Coast 500 and Adelaide 500 events.
Still, like last year, there is little in the way of title considerations standing in the way of the Great Race.
While Shane van Gisbergen is yet to formally wrap up the championship, his 525-point lead means it is a foregone conclusion.
That gives van Gisbergen the freedom to attack Mount Panorama this weekend, he and co-driver Garth Tander considered the runaway favourites for victory.
Their position is further strengthened by a dire weather forecast, both van Gisbergen and Tander seen as top talents in wet conditions.
Joining the #97 Red Bull Holden on the list of genuine contenders is reigning Bathurst 1000 winner Chaz Mostert.
The Walkinshaw Andretti United driver stunned the field to dominate the Great Race with Lee Holdsworth last year. This time around he will be paired with another proven talent in Fabian Coulthard.
And in-form Dick Johnson Racing will be looking to add to its Bathurst successes, with veteran Will Davison currently leading the way for the Ford squad in terms of outright pace. The two-time Bathurst winner will be joined by brother Alex Davison in the famous #17 Shell Ford.
Across the garage Anton De Pasquale and Tony D'Alberto are expected to be in the hunt in the #11 Shell Ford, while Tickford Racing's Cam Waters and James Moffat will be looking to shake the bridesmaid tag and take a long-awaited Great Race win.
There is no shortage of potential threats to the top five contenders either, with the likes of an in-form Andre Heimgartner, paired with Dale Wood, likely to be close to the pace.
The same can be said for the two lead Erebus cars driven by Will Brown/Jack Perkins and Brodie Kostecki/Dave Russell, as well as the second WAU entry of Nick Percat and the evergreen Warren Luff and the lead Grove Racing entry of David Reynolds and Matt Campbell.
Track action for Supercars kicks off with the first six practice sessions at 11am local time on Thursday.
The race, meanwhile, returns to a morning time, with lights out at 11:15am local time on Sunday.
The undercard features Super2/Super3, Heritage Revival, Toyota 86s, Carrera Cup and V8 SuperUtes.
2022 Supercars Bathurst 1000 session times
All times local (GMT+11)
Thursday October 6
7:25-7:45 Heritage Revival – Practice 1
7:55-8:15 V8 SuperUtes – Practice
8:25-8:45 Toyota 86 – Practice 1
8:55-9:45 Carrera Cup – Practice
10:00-10:40 Super2/Super3 – Practice 1
11:00-12:00 Supercars – Practice 1 (all drivers)
13:05-13:25 Heritage Revival – Practice 2
13:35-13:55 V8 SuperUtes – Qualifying
14:05-14:25 Toyota 86 – Practice 2
14:40-15:20 Super2/Super3 – Practice 2
15:30-15:50 Supercars – Gen3 Demonstration
15:55-16:55 Supercars – Practice 2 (co-drivers)
17:10-17:30 Carrera Cup – Qualifying
17:40-18:00 Heritage Revival – Qualifying
Friday October 7
7:50-8:10 Toyota 86 – Qualifying
8:20-8:40 Heritage Revival – Race 1
8:50-9:10 V8 SuperUtes – Race 1
9:20-9:55 Super2/Super3 – Qualifying
10:10-11:10 Supercars – Practice 3 (all drivers)
11:10-11:30 Supercars – Gen3 Demonstration
12:30-12:50 Toyota 86 – Race 1
13:00-14:00 Supercars – Practice 4 (all drivers)
14:15-14:55 Carrera Cup – Race 1
15:25-15:40 Super2/Super3 – Race 1
16:15-16:55 Supercars – Qualifying
17:00-17:20 Supercars – Gen3 Demonstration
17:25-17:45 Heritage Revival – Race 2
Saturday October 8
8:10-8:30 V8 SuperUtes – Race 2
8:50-9:25 Super2/Super3 – Qualifying
9:40-10:15 Supercars – Gen3 Demonstration
10:20-11:20 Supercars – Practice 5 (co-drivers)
11:40-12:00 Heritage Revival – Race 3
13:00-14:00 Supercars – Practice 6 (all drivers)
14:20-14:40 V8 SuperUtes – Race 3
14:50-15:10 Toyota 86 – Race 2
15:20-15:45 Carrera Cup – Race 2
16:00-16:45 Super2/Super3 – Race 2
17:05-17:50 Supercars – Top 10 Shootout
Sunday October 9
7:25-7:45 V8 SuperUtes – Race 4
8:00-8:20 Supercars – Warm Up
8:40-9:00 Supercars – Drivers Parade
9:05-9:25 Toyota 86 – Race 3
9:40-10:05 Carrera Cup – Race 3
11:15 Supercars – Bathurst 1000
