BRODIE Kostecki has continued to set the pace at the Newcastle 500, topping a Saturday qualifying session that locked in the Top 10 Shootout field.
Practice pacesetter Kostecki laid down a 1:11.3217s on his first flying lap in the 20-minute session that was not beaten for the duration.
The Erebus Camaro driver sat out the final minutes while his 24 rivals unsuccessfully attempted to knock him off.
“It’s been pretty wild out there the whole weekend and the track is still trying to rubber up a little bit,” said Kostecki.
“It was great to have the speed yesterday, but to carry it on today is unreal.
“We’ll see how we go [in the Shootout]. The second set of tyres I put on, I didn’t quite do a good job go phasing them in. I’ll have to do a better job in the Shootout with that.”
Chaz Mostert was just 0.0371s behind in the fastest of the Ford Mustangs, ahead of Shane van Gisbergen, Tim Slade and David Reynolds.
Cam Waters languished outside the top 10 before leaping to sixth with his final run ahead of Broc Feeney, Andre Heimgartner, Scott Pye and James Golding.
That marked a sensational session for PremiAir Racing as new signing Slade and incumbent Golding both locked in Shootout spots.
Erebus only narrowly missed the same honour with Kostecki’s teammate Will Brown in 11th thanks to Waters’ late lap.
It was a tough qualifying for Dick Johnson Racing with Will Davison 14th after complaining of a clutch issue and Anton De Pasquale 17th.
Nick Percat failed to match teammate Mostert’s heroics with 21st in a field where 23 cars were separated by just 0.7247s.
The Top 10 Shootout is set to take place at 12:35 local time ahead of the 250km opening race of the season at 3:20pm.
RESULTS: Qualifying for Race 1, Thrifty Newcastle 500
| Pos | No. | Driver | Team | Car | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 99 | Brodie Kostecki | Erebus | Chevrolet | 1m11.3217s |
| 2 | 25 | Chaz Mostert | WAU | Ford | +0.0371s |
| 3 | 97 | Shane van Gisbergen | Triple Eight | Chevrolet | +0.1141s |
| 4 | 400 | Tim Slade | PremiAir | Chevrolet | +0.1261s |
| 5 | 26 | David Reynolds | Grove | Ford | +0.2513s |
| 6 | 6 | Cam Waters | Tickford | Ford | +0.2601s |
| 7 | 88 | Broc Feeney | Triple Eight | Chevrolet | +0.3157s |
| 8 | 8 | Andre Heimgartner | BJR | Chevrolet | +0.384s |
| 9 | 20 | Scott Pye | Team 18 | Chevrolet | +0.404s |
| 10 | 31 | James Golding | PremiAir | Chevrolet | +0.4298s |
| 11 | 9 | Will Brown | Erebus | Chevrolet | +0.4304s |
| 12 | 5 | James Courtney | Tickford | Ford | +0.4454s |
| 13 | 55 | Thomas Randle | Tickford | Ford | +0.4623s |
| 14 | 17 | Will Davison | DJR | Ford | +0.478s |
| 15 | 34 | Jack Le Brocq | MSR | Chevrolet | +0.5581s |
| 16 | 18 | Mark Winterbottom | Team 18 | Chevrolet | +0.6048s |
| 17 | 11 | Anton De Pasquale | DJR | Ford | +0.6292s |
| 18 | 14 | Bryce Fullwood | BJR | Chevrolet | +0.6397s |
| 19 | 35 | Cameron Hill | MSR | Chevrolet | +0.6438s |
| 20 | 3 | Todd Hazelwood | BRT | Ford | +0.6472s |
| 21 | 2 | Nick Percat | WAU | Ford | +0.692s |
| 22 | 19 | Matthew Payne | Grove | Ford | +0.7215s |
| 23 | 96 | Macauley Jones | BJR | Chevrolet | +0.7247s |
| 24 | 56 | Declan Fraser | Tickford | Ford | +1.2286s |
| 25 | 4 | Jack Smith | BJR | Chevrolet | +1.3477s |
