Red Bull Ampol Racing Team’s Shane van Gisbergen has taken pole position for Race 19 of the Repco Supercars Championship following an exciting Top 10 Shootout in Townsville.
Van Gisbergen was second behind Monster Energy Racing’s Cameron Waters, but was able to lap the Reid Park hybrid street and permanent circuit in a 1m 13.399s after fitting new tyres to his Holden ZB Commodore.
The Kiwi will share the front row with Shell V-Power Racing’s Will Davison after he too followed the same strategy of fitting new tyres, while provisional polesitter heading into the Shootout Waters used an old set, but remained within 0.1s of his two rivals ahead on a 1m 13.399s.
Brad Jones Racing’s Andre Heimgartner was fourth on a 1m 13.632s as Davison’s teammate Anton De Pasquale lines up fifth alongside Matt Stone Racing’s Jack Le Brocq in a season best performance.
Mobil 1 Optus Racing’s Chaz Mostert is seventh from the second Red Bull Ampol Racing Team Commodore of Broc Feeney, Tim Blanchard in the Blanchard Racing Team Ford Mustang and Scott Pye’s Team18 Holden.
Grip was at a premium as drivers slid around on the hard tyres, a compound not used for some time.
In the earlier qualifying session, Waters led the way on a 1m 13.086s to lead van Gisbergen and Heimgartner as there was not a significant mover in the Top 10 Shootout.
Missing out a Shootout berth was Grove Racing’s David Reynolds, who was just bumped out in the closing stages as was Castrol Racing’s Thomas Randle.
Others to be buried in the pack were Erebus Motorsport pair Brodie Kostecki in 15th and Will Brown 18th, James Courtney from 19th, with Nick Percat right behind.
Repco Supercars Championship returnee James Golding placed his PremiAir Racing Subway Commodore in 21st.
Race 19 is scheduled to begin at 2:45pm AEST this afternoon.