HOLDSWORTH FASTEST AS CRASH ENDS PRACTICE 2 AT BATHURST

WALKINSHAW Andretti United’s Lee Holdsworth topped the times in the co-drivers only Practice 2 on a bruising Thursday at the Repco Bathurst 1000.

Amid a string of incidents in other categories, the Supercars drivers appeared to have avoided major trouble until less than two minutes from the end of the second 60-minute session.

Co-driving Macauley Jones’ #96 Brad Jones Racing entry this weekend, Chris Pither clipped the inside wall at Forrest Elbow which fired the Commodore into the concrete on the exit.

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PRACTICE 1: Waters’ bizarre feat tops opening Supercars session

SCHEDULE: Bathurst 1000 track schedule for every category

It brought out the red flags and the end of the session, leaving Holdsworth’s 2:05.2258s effort in Chaz Mostert’s WAU Holden as the fastest time.

James Moffat backed up Cameron Waters’ Practice 1-topping effort with the second fastest time in Tickford Racing’s Monster Mustang, 0.3776s adrift of Holdsworth.

Alex Davison was third in brother Will Davison’s Dick Johnson Racing Mustang, while the Red Bull Holdens of Garth Tander and Craig Lowndes were fourth and sixth, split by Dean Fiore (#14 BJR Holden).

Holdsworth’s session-topping time was less than two-tenths shy of Waters’ effort from earlier in the day, emphasising the strength of the #25 WAU entry.

WAU was quick to snap-up Holdsworth when he lost his full-time drive at the end of 2020, just after he’d topped Friday qualifying at the Bathurst 1000.

“Obviously these guys had a really quick car at the start of the year here, and Chazzy dialled it in a little bit more this morning for me to just jump in and have a little bit of fun around the Mountain,” said Holdsworth.

“You’re always trying stuff and the great thing is that Chazzy and I, I’m probably driving a lot more like him through learning how to drive his car – everything that’s working for me is working for him and vice-versa.

“I’m more of a driver that likes to lean on the front on entry so I carry a lot of trail-brake in, and the way Chaz drives is probably more slowing it up on entry and driving it through the corner more.

“It’s only subtle differences, but that’s the way you’ve got to drive this thing to be quick.”

BJR meanwhile faces a significant repair on its Jones/Pither entry, which had caused the day’s other red flag this morning when it struck steering trouble on its outlap.

“It wasn’t a big hit but it’s done a reasonable amount of damage,” said Brad Jones immediately after Pither’s crash.

“We just need to get it back, have a look how bad the rail damage is and hopefully get it fixed up and going for tomorrow.”

Returning veteran Russell Ingall ended the session at the foot of the timesheet, 3.2 seconds adrift of the pace, in Triple Eight’s wildcard entry that he shares with Broc Feeney.

The co-drivers will return to action for Practice 3 on Friday morning.

RESULTS: Supercars Practice 2, 2021 Repco Bathurst 1000

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