Scott McLaughlin and Andre Heimgartner will start races 11 and 12 of the Supercars championship from pole position as a pair of rapid ten-minute sessions were run to determine the grid for this afternoon’s final two races at Sydney Motorsport Park.
The result is Heimgartner’s maiden pole in the main-game and an incredibly noteworthy performance from the Kelly Racing outfit.
Meanwhile, McLaughlin now boasts a mammoth 10 pole positions at Sydney Motorsport Park, adding to his record from yesterday which included setting a new qualifying lap record.
Qualifying Race 11
McLaughlin set a storming 1.28.5403 on his final run to pip a surprised Mark Winterbottom who held provisional pole after the opening few times were set.
Setting a purple opening sector, Van Gisbergen would fall shy of his rival by a mere 0.0268s but will line up alongside his fellow Kiwi in a replica of yesterday’s front row.
A last gasp effort by Nick Percat was enough for the race 8 winner to snare third position on the gird ahead of Andre Heimgartner. The Kiwi enjoying a more successful outing after missing out on yesterday’s top-15 shootout.
Fabian Coulthard ensured it was two DJR Penske machines inside the top five with his best lap time enough to edge home Chaz Mostert.
Garry Jacobson, Rick Kelly, Cam Waters and Winterbottom rounded out the ten.
Jamie Whincup was a notable omission from the top of the timesheets as the #88 sported the hard tyres for the session and will start the race from 19th but saving a set of softs to use in one of two sprint races on offer this afternoon.
But Whincup did occur a kerb strike penalty on his opening flying lap meaning he missed out on potentially promoting himself further up the grid as his only timed lap was set on slightly worn rubber.
Qualifying Race 12
Heimgartner held provisional pole for all of the second session, setting a strong 1.28.581 on a set of fresh soft tyres as a late flurry of action in the final two minutes of the second ten-minute session saw several drivers attempt to usurp the Kelly Racing Mustang.
McLaughlin was one of the first drivers to cross the line but had used the best of his tyres and fell one-tenth shy.
The charging bulls of Whincup and Van Gisbergen provided a late challenge, but the latter had donned the hard tyre and ultimately finished 22nd while Whincup piped McLaughlin to claim his first front row start of the weekend.
Once again Winterbottom showed strong pace and ended the session in fourth ahead of David Reynolds.
The sister Penrite Racing machine of Anton de Pasquale was another compelled to run the session on the harder tyre and will start this afternoon’s final session from 24th and last.
Percat will line up sixth ahead of Jack Le Brocq, Mostert, and Waters, and Kelly who ensured both of his team’s cars were inside the Top 10 for the second successive session.
Race 11 of the championship gets underway from 2.25 pm NZT in the first of two sprint races to close out the Truck Assist Sydney SuperSprint.