McLeod stars as rain hits Bathurst

CAMERON McLeod has led an all-rookie top three in a rain-hit final practice for the Dunlop Super2 Series at Bathurst.

In stark contrast to the morning sunshine, gloomy skies rolled in and rain fell just as the 40-minute Practice 2 was about to begin.

That led the bulk of the field to take caution, with many opting for the shelter of pitlane.

The rain got heavier at the one-quarter mark before the track began to dry, and times would tumble at a rate of knots.

McLeod led the way with 10 minutes on the clock, on a 2:19.5711s, from where almost nine seconds would be shaved off.

Super3 duo Cody Burcher and Thomas Maxwell spent time atop the leaderboard in the final stretch, as did Zach Bates, before McLeod blew the field away with one last effort.

His 2:10.6680s initially put him 2.8489s clear, before Max Vidau and Reuben Goodall bumped Maxwell to fourth.

For Goodall, that was a particularly fine comeback after crashing at the Cutting in Practice 1.

At the bottom of the timesheets sat all four Eggleston Motorsport Commodores, Kai Allen having set an unrepresentative time and Cooper Murray, Jordyn Sinni and Cameron Crick not recording one at all.

All four had finished top eight in Practice 1, led by an Allen/Murray one-two.

Including the Eggleston quartet, the field was reduced to 23 cars with Mason Kelly in doubt following a heavy morning crash and a brazen theft that has thus far prevented AIM Motorsport from repairing Zane Morse’s Mustang.

RESULTS: Super2 Practice 2, 2024 Bathurst 500