A chaotic, rain-affected qualifying session set the grid for Race 31 at the Sandown 500, with New Zealand’s young guns once again right in the thick of the action, even as several big names faltered.
Will Brown’s title hopes took another hit after a mistimed pit call left him stranded in 17th, but at the opposite end of the timing sheets, it was a strong afternoon for the Kiwis, with Ryan Wood and Matt Payne both earning places in the Top 10 Shootout.
Meanwhile, Andre Heimgartner and Jaxon Evans were among those caught out during the wet opening segment, leaving both drivers a long climb ahead on Sunday.
Q1:
A light drizzle hung over Sandown as the field rolled out for the first segment of qualifying, with every team forced into the awkward balance between slicks and moisture.
Despite the tricky surface, most drivers pushed early to bank a lap before the next wave of rain.
Wood delivered immediately for Walkinshaw Andretti United, sitting near the top of the order before the conditions worsened. Payne also kept himself safely clear of the cut line, gradually building speed as the track cooled, but not everyone was as fortunate.
A sudden return of rain in the final minutes caught out a handful of drivers, including both remaining New Zealanders.
Evans, running strongly early, was unable to improve once the track greased up and slid down the order.
Heimgartner also found himself stranded, unable to extract any late speed from the #8 BJR Chevrolet before the flag fell.
Both were eliminated in Q1, placing Evans 20th and Heimgartner 24th for the race.
At the front, the session saw wild swings. Macauley Jones temporarily shot to P1 after recovering from an early off, while Wood stayed inside the top few positions as lap times tumbled. Payne, similarly, moved through comfortably.
All seven Finals Series contenders narrowly survived the weather gamble, but only just, and Brown made it through in 16th by the slimmest of margins.
Q2:
Conditions stayed unpredictable heading into Q2, prompting several teams to roll the dice on wet tyres for the opening laps.
Bryce Fullwood struck first, but Team 18’s Anton De Pasquale quickly tightened his grip on provisional pole with a string of rapid laps on the improving surface.
For the Kiwi pair still alive in Q2, it was another strong showing. Payne slotted into the upper half of the field early, managing the greasy kerbs and low grip with precision.
Wood, meanwhile, showed his comfort in mixed conditions, climbing into the top two as the clock wound down.
As the track began to stabilise, Brown pitted at the exact wrong moment. Expecting another yellow flag period to wipe times, he remained stationary while rivals improved on a drying line.
The gamble cost him dearly; he was shuffled all the way back to P15 and eliminated.
When the flag flew, De Pasquale led from Wood and Grove Racing’s Kai Allen, with Payne also progressing comfortably to the Shootout in fifth.
Top 10 Shootout:
With the rain line cutting unpredictably across the circuit, tyre choice became the defining element of the Shootout.
Fullwood opened the session on slicks and paid the price. His lap unravelled at Turn 11, sending him skating through the gravel — and later seeing his laptime deleted.
Waters also chose slicks and lost significant ground, unable to generate grip in the final sector.
Mostert delivered the first competitive marker on wets, taking advantage of the soaked final corners, but his benchmark didn’t last long.
Cameron Hill recovered from an earlier spin to put together a decent lap despite a big lock-up at Turn 1. His time kept him in the mix.
Then came Thomas Randle, whose attempt quickly turned into survival mode. With standing water building through the first sector, he locked up at Turn 1, then again at Turn 2, sliding off across the grass.
The lap was ruined before it really began, and although he completed it, the time was enormous—over five seconds away from Feeney. The stewards later deleted the lap for cutting the course, sealing his place at the back of the Shootout contenders.
Feeney pieced together a clean, composed lap, going half a second clear of Mostert to claim provisional pole.
For Payne, the opening sector was almost underwater by the time he launched his lap. The Kiwi still pieced together a calm and measured run, even catching a big snap at Turn 11. He slotted into fourth at the time, a strong result considering he faced the worst conditions of the group.
As the weather eased, Allen and then Wood benefited from a rapidly drying circuit. Wood’s lap was especially sharp — tidy, confident, and close to Feeney’s earlier benchmark. His 1:14.411 left him third with only one driver remaining.
De Pasquale completed the session with one of the best laps of the day. He couldn’t quite match Feeney, but a 1:13.924 was enough to lock down P2 and cement Team 18’s strong form. Feeney secured his 16th pole position of the season, equalling Scott McLaughlin’s record.
With Wood inside the top four and Payne a genuine threat from row four, the Kiwi contingent remains well-positioned to shake up the Sandown 500, even as Evans and Heimgartner prepare for a far more demanding afternoon from deeper in the field.
Race 31 begins at 5:20pm NZT, live on Sky Sport.
Header Image: Supercars
