Red Bull Ampol Racing’s Broc Feeney and Anton De Pasquale for Shell V-Power Racing have topped the two practice sessions in Darwin on Friday.
Feeney’s pace was in stark contrast to teammate Shane van Gisbergen’s woes as throttle and alignment problems ensured the New Zealander experienced a frustrating end as the second practice session ended early for him.
Setting a 1m 06.513s in the opening session was Feeney as Penrite Racing’s David Reynolds and Mark Winterbottom for DEWALT Racing rounded out the top three split by only 0.154s.
In fact, the top 20 were covered by less than a second as Will Davison was fourth for Shell V-Power Racing in a sign was on the way to turning its form slump around, with Monster Energy Racing’s Cameron Waters, Todd Hazelwood in the Blanchard Racing Team Mustang and De Pasquale ensured the Blue Oval was well represented.
Rounding out the top 10 was championship leader Brodie Kostecki for Coca-Cola Racing by Erebus, Penrite Racing rookie Matt Payne and fellow first year Supercars racer Cameron Hill in the Truck Assist Racing Camaro.
Missing the top 10 was Will Brown, Scott Pye, Nick Percat, James Courtney and Andre Heimgartner from 11th-15th, with Chaz Mostert 17th ahead of van Gisbergen and Slade.
De Pasquale set a 1m 06.285s to lead the second session from Courtney’s Snowy River Racing Mustang by just 0.034s as teammate Waters completed a Ford 1-2-3.
Kostecki was the first Chevrolet in fourth ahead of Castrol Racing’s Thomas Randle, Heimgartner’s R&J Batteries Brad Jones Racing entry and Reynolds.
Hometown driver Bryce Fullwood in the Middy’s Brad Jones Racing Camaro was eighth ahead of Davison and Macauley Jones in the Pizza Hut Camaro completed the top 10.
James Golding, Feeney, Winterbottom, Le Brocq, Pye and Hill just missed the top 10 as Brown was 19th from Payne, with Percat 21st, van Gisbergen 25th leaving Mostert at the bottom.
Qualifying for Race 13 opens up Saturday’s Supercars action at 11:30am ACST or 12pm AEST.