Bayliss gets to grips with V8 Supercars
The former Ducati Xerox man put in over 80 laps of the circuit, impressing team engineers with his precise control and split-second concentration in the 600hp plus V8 Ford Falcon machine.
After a sighting lap with championship regular Lowndes in the passenger seat, Troy's natural competitive instinct took over and he eventually got down to within half a second of the mark set by his fellow Australian.
Bayliss said the experience had been immensely rewarding and said that the world-class touring car category was a logical progression as he pursued a career on four wheels.
"That was a dream come true," Bayliss admitted. "I have been a huge fan of V8 Supercars for a long time and to finally get some laps in one felt amazing. A lot of the on-track principals transfer between the bike and the car and once the excitement of the first few laps wore off I felt like I was back at the office trying to perfect my corners and reduce my lap times. I can honestly say I have the bug, I definitely want to do more laps and try and get out there in either the Development Series or the endurance races."