Matthew Payne’s debut Super2 pole position will have to wait, but he does start his first race with a clean track ahead of him after qualifying P2.
Payne looked to be on for a brilliant pole in his first-ever Super2 qualifying session.
His 1.30.2 set moments before time expired was provisionally fastest, with only Jayden Ojeda left to set a competitive lap on fresh rubber.
But a quick opening sector from Ojeda set him on the path to surge to pole, which he did by a margin of two-tenths back to Payne.
“Had to chuck it all on the line at the end,” Ojeda said.
Ojeda’s 1.29.9 is the first sub 1.30 lap time done in a Super2 car around Sydney Motorsport Park.
Ojeda’s team boss Matt White congratulated Payne for pushing his driver to the limit.
“Matt has been doing a sensational job. He’s made us really lift our game.”
It was Nissans one, two and three at the end of qualifying.
Behind Ojeda and Payne, Declan Fraser starts third in another Matt White-backed Altima.
Points leader Broc Feeney starts P4 and was four-tenths off the pace.
Super2 is combined with a 12-car Super3 field this weekend, bumping grid numbers to an impressive 31.
The Super3 field had their own qualifying before the Super2 session. Nash Morris starts that class from pole position, stopping the clock nearly half a second quicker than the next best driver.
The first Super 2/Super3 race of the weekend begins at 8 pm NZT.