Jamie Whincup has topped the Supercars practice two at Hidden Valley in Darwin, leading Scott Pye and Anton De Pasquale.
Shane van Gisbergen was the top Kiwi, ending the 30-minute run in seventh position after a topsy-turvey run. The series leader spent six uninterrupted minutes in pit-lane getting changes made to his car, and then peeled off late for a new set of rear dampers.
In the early running De Pasquale was quickest on a 1:06.445 over Pye, Tim Slade, practice one leader Nick Percat, and wildcard Thomas Randle. The opening phase of the session featured numerous off-track excursions, with Jack Smith, Jake Kostecki, Garry Jacobson, Will Brown, and De Pasquale himself all touring the grass.
Bryce Fullwood had also had a problematic run. The youngster’s Walkinshaw Andretti United Holden had its bonnet flick open on the front straight in the opening minutes, hitting the windscreen. He stopped on the front straight, prompting the first and only red flag of practice.
De Pasquale briefly lost the lead of the charts to Mark Winterbttom, but claimed it back with 13 minutes to go via a 1:06.035. With eight laps to go De Pasquale and Winterbottom were first and fourth, split by Pye and Whincup, with Fabian Coulthard, Tim Slade, and Todd Hazelwood following.
Van Gisbergen hadn’t set a representative time, and was down in 18th. But, taking to the track in the closing minutes, he fired up to third spot on the totem.
The lap queued up a flurry of quick laps. Chaz Mostert was in line to hit the top spot, only for him to make a mistake and muck up his attempt. Pye and Whincup leaped to the top one by one, with the latter throwing down a rapid 1:05.879.
Percat also improved late, to end up fourth. Will Davison, Mostert, van Gisbergen, Winterbottom, James Courtney, and Brodie Kostecki completed the top 10.
Van Gisbergen was denied a final run against the clock in the dying moments after rushing into pit-lane for a new set of rear dampers; the Red Bull ace reporting that he wanted more turn-in at Hidden Valley’s iconic turn 10.
Coulthard and Andre Heimgartner rounded out the Kiwi contingent in 12th and 19th position, respectively. Wildcard runners Randle and Kurt Kostecki, meanwhile, ended up 23rd and 27th respectively.