KIWI young gun Matt Payne proved 0.0883s quicker than David Reynolds as Grove Racing locked out the top two spots in Practice 3 at the Repco Bathurst 1000.
The result continued the impressive early form from the Penrite-backed team at Mount Panorama, having had the second-fastest cars in both Thursday sessions.
Teams completed a mix of qualifying and race runs in the 60-minute session, as well as practicing pitstops – including the compulsory brake change.
Brodie Kostecki set the pace at the start of Friday morning’s hour of running, immediately eclipsing yesterday’s best with a 2:05.5774s.
The Erebus Camaro driver improved that further to 2:05.4377s at the 17-minute mark, which had him on top until Payne clocked 2:05.2855s less than four minutes from the end.
Reynolds completed his lap with the chequered flag flying but narrowly missed pipping his junior teammate.
Kostecki ended up third having completed the entire session in the #99 Camaro. David Russell was the only co-driver in the field not to turn laps.
Will Davison improved late to edge Dick Johnson Racing teammate Anton De Pasquale for fourth; the former 0.2137s from the top spot.
Cam Hill was sixth in the #35 Matt Stone Racing Camaro, which lost significant track time early in the session with a clutch issue.
Triple Eight’s #88, #97 and #888 Camaros ended up seventh, 19th and 23rd respectively having all endured off-track excursions during the session.
Jamie Whincup and Shane van Gisbergen had separate moments at The Chase, while Zane Goddard was lucky to escape a high-speed run through the gravel at McPhillamy Park.
Practice 3 featured a single red flag, called at the 43-minute mark when Zak Best came to a halt on Conrod Straight with an engine issue in the #5 Tickford Mustang.
A fourth practice session will take place ahead of qualifying later this afternoon.
RESULTS: Supercars Practice 3, Repco Bathurst 1000
| Pos | No. | Driver/s | Team | Car | Time/Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 19 | Matthew Payne / Kevin Estre | Grove | Ford | 2m05.2855s |
| 2 | 26 | David Reynolds / Garth Tander | Grove | Ford | +0.0883s |
| 3 | 99 | Brodie Kostecki | Erebus | Chevrolet | +0.1522s |
| 4 | 17 | Will Davison / Alex Davison | DJR | Ford | +0.2137s |
| 5 | 11 | Anton De Pasquale / Tony D’Alberto | DJR | Ford | +0.3380s |
| 6 | 35 | Cameron Hill / Jaylyn Robotham | MSR | Chevrolet | +0.3426s |
| 7 | 88 | Broc Feeney / Jamie Whincup | Triple Eight | Chevrolet | +0.3652s |
| 8 | 25 | Chaz Mostert / Lee Holdsworth | WAU | Ford | +0.4453s |
| 9 | 6 | Cam Waters / James Moffat | Tickford | Ford | +0.5132s |
| 10 | 8 | Andre Heimgartner / Dale Wood | BJR | Chevrolet | +0.7086s |
| 11 | 20 | Scott Pye / Warren Luff | Team 18 | Chevrolet | +0.7939s |
| 12 | 23 | Tim Slade / Jonathon Webb | PremiAir | Chevrolet | +0.8496s |
| 13 | 31 | James Golding / Dylan O’Keeffe | PremiAir | Chevrolet | +1.0089s |
| 14 | 5 | James Courtney / Zak Best | Tickford | Ford | +1.0090s |
| 15 | 14 | Bryce Fullwood / Dean Fiore | BJR | Chevrolet | +1.0402s |
| 16 | 9 | Will Brown / Jack Perkins | Erebus | Chevrolet | +1.1873s |
| 17 | 18 | Mark Winterbottom / Michael Caruso | Team 18 | Chevrolet | +1.2331s |
| 18 | 34 | Jack Le Brocq / Jayden Ojeda | MSR | Chevrolet | +1.3406s |
| 19 | 97 | Shane van Gisbergen / Richie Stanaway | Triple Eight | Chevrolet | +1.4654s |
| 20 | 7 | Aaron Love / Jake Kostecki | BRT | Ford | +1.4894s |
| 21 | 2 | Nick Percat / Fabian Coulthard | WAU | Ford | +1.5417s |
| 22 | 3 | Todd Hazelwood / Tim Blanchard | BRT | Ford | +1.5892s |
| 23 | 888 | Craig Lowndes / Zane Goddard | Triple Eight | Chevrolet | +1.6041s |
| 24 | 96 | Macauley Jones / Jordan Boys | BJR | Chevrolet | +1.6046s |
| 25 | 56 | Declan Fraser / Tyler Everingham | Tickford | Ford | +1.8673s |
| 26 | 4 | Jack Smith / Jaxon Evans | BJR | Chevrolet | +2.3513s |
| 27 | 55 | Thomas Randle / Garry Jacobson | Tickford | Ford | +2.4405s |
| 28 | 98 | Simona De Silvestro / Kai Allen | DJR | Ford | +2.7471s |
