R&J Batteries Brad Jones Racing driver Andre Heimgartner has finished on top in the second Repco Supercars Championship practice session at Albert Park as title leader Chaz Mostert found the wall during the closing stages.
Although he went off track the lap before at Turns 1 and 2, Heimgartner responded to finish on top logging a 1m 47.870s time to lead Shell V-Power Racing Team’s Anton De Pasquale by just 0.021s and Cam Waters a further 0.025s behind in the Monster Energy Racing Ford Mustang.
Championship leader Mostert ran wide and hit the wall through the fast back section of the circuit requiring the Walkinshaw Andretti United squad to inspect for damage.
With no Shane van Gisbergen taking part in the session due to earlier damage, Red Bull Ampol Racing’s Broc Feeney was playing an important role as the super soft compound Dunlops were being used, so it was important to provide data to his teammate. Feeney was fourth for the session, 0.175s off Heimgartner’s benchmark.
Fifth was Snowy River Racing’s James Courtney from Penrite Racing’s David Reynolds, opening session pacesetter Mark Winterbottom in the DEWALT Racing Chevrolet, Will Brown’s Coca-Cola Racing by Erebus Camaro, the NTI Mobil 1 Mustang of Nick Percat and Thomas Randle for Castrol Racing.
Will Davison was 12th ahead of Scott Pye, Brodie Kostecki, Mostert and James Golding.
TRADIE Racing’s Declan Fraser led the way for the rookies in 17th, while Todd Hazelwood was back in 22nd.
Less than an hour splits the final practice session and qualifying for the Repco Supercars Championship, with two 15-minute segments to decide both grids for the opening two races beginning at 2:45pm AEDT.