A stunning Top 10 Shootout lap has put Will Davison on pole for this afternoon’s opening race for the Darwin Triple Crown, doubling as race number 500 for the veteran.
Davison had set the third fastest time heading into the Top 10 Shootout, but saved his best until last as he broke his own Hidden Valley Raceway qualifying record to set a 1m 04.954s to lead a Shell V-Power Racing 1-2.
Anton De Pasquale was out before Davison and lines up alongside, with 0.281s splitting the pair, while best of the rest was R&J Batteries Brad Jones Racing’s Andre Heimgartner, who was last to go out in the Top 10 Shootout after being the pacesetter after the second segment of qualifying.
Repco Supercars Championship leader Shane van Gisbergen lines up alongside his fellow Kiwi in fourth for Red Bull Ampol Racing.
Qualifying signalled a return to form for Mark Winterbottom in the IRWIN Racing Holden ZB Commodore in fifth, with a poor final sector leaving Walkinshaw Andretti United’s Chaz Mostert sharing the third row.
First out for the Top 10 Shootout was David Reynolds and he set the seventh fastest time to share the fourth row with local Territorian Bryce Fullwood in the Middy’s Electrical ZB Commodore.
Scott Pye made it two Team18 entries in the top 10 qualifying ninth and Tickford Racing’s sole representative Jake Kostecki rounded out the field after he failed to set a time due to running wide at Turn 1.
Qualifying in Darwin consisted of the three-segment knockout format, with Mostert’s teammate Nick Percat out in the first section alongside Todd Hazelwood, Jack Smith, Tim Slade, Jayden Ojeda, Lee Holdsworth and Zak Best.
A season best result for Chris Pither in 11th led the drivers failing to make the Top 10 Shootout edging Cameron Waters, Brodie Kostecki, Thomas Randle, Broc Feeney, Will Brown, Jack le Brocq, Macauley Jones, James Courtney and Garry Jacobson.
This afternoon’s opening race in Darwin is scheduled to start at 3:25pm ACST (3:55pm AEST).