Local hope, Steve Glenney, driving a 2006 Subaru Impreza WRX STI, has upstaged his more fancied rivals by setting the fastest time at the prologue stage at Supaloc Targa Adelaide.
He will now take the top seeding into the four-day event that now heads to the surrounding hills before finishing back in the city on Sunday afternoon.
Glenney beat the Lamborghini Gallardo of fellow South Australian, Kevin Weeks, by 2.8 seconds around the 3.25 kilometre course, with another Lamborghini, driven by reigning Australian Champion Jason White, back in third, a further 2.3 seconds back.