JUST as was the case yesterday, Tickford Racing and Erebus Motorsport will share the front row another two times today after an intriguing pair of qualifying sessions at The Bend.
Qualifying for Race 2
Tyre strategies differed up and down the lane as Sunday action got underway, but it was Tickford Racing that was shaping up best.
Entering the final runs of the opening 15-minute hitout, it was a Tickford Racing one-two-three-five.
Cam Waters was provisionally fastest on a 1:50.7716s – more than a second off the Saturday pole time – from James Courtney, Thomas Randle, Anton De Pasquale, Declan Fraser and Chaz Mostert in an all-Ford top six at that point.
By the end of proceedings, there was only one Tickford Mustang in the top 10 but it was still happy days as Randle snatched the first pole position of his main game career – less than 18 hours after celebrating his maiden solo podium.
Mostert and Waters both improved, but Randle blew them away with a 1:50.0684s.
It looked as though Brodie Kostecki might knock him off, but the championship leader fell 0.0526s short – which was at least good enough for the front row.
Matt Payne’s impressive weekend continued, and he’ll share the second row with fellow Kiwi Shane van Gisbergen.
De Pasquale, Mostert, Bryce Fullwood, David Reynolds, Will Davison and Nick Percat secured fifth through 10th, with Waters and Broc Feeney just outside the 10.
Will Brown wound up just 16th.
Qualifying for Race 3
Payne starred through the first half of the second session, banging in a 1:50.3591s and going better again the next time around with a 1:50.0804s.
That put him more than four tenths up on the field as he hopped out of the car, while rivals looked to improve in the closing stages.
As he nervously watched on, Payne’s pole hopes would quickly fade as Randle, Percat and Waters all jumped ahead.
But they would be no match for Kostecki, who nailed a last-ditch 1:49.4822s to take the biggest pole position margin in Tailem Bend history of 0.4238s.
Kostecki and Waters will be on the front row, with Randle, Percat, Payne, De Pasquale, van Gisbergen, Davison, Courtney and Fullwood behind.
Brown and Mostert were the big names to struggle, in 13th and 17th.
The two races today are scheduled to start at 12:50pm and 3:50pm local time (1:20pm and 4:20pm AEST).
Results: Qualifying for Race 2, 2023 OTR SuperSprint
| Pos | No. | Driver | Team | Car | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 55 | Thomas Randle | Tickford | Ford | 1:50.0684s |
| 2 | 99 | Brodie Kostecki | Erebus | Chevrolet | +0.0526s |
| 3 | 19 | Matthew Payne | Grove | Ford | +0.2104s |
| 4 | 97 | Shane van Gisbergen | Triple Eight | Chevrolet | +0.427s |
| 5 | 11 | Anton De Pasquale | DJR | Ford | +0.4338s |
| 6 | 25 | Chaz Mostert | WAU | Ford | +0.4528s |
| 7 | 14 | Bryce Fullwood | BJR | Chevrolet | +0.4625s |
| 8 | 26 | David Reynolds | Grove | Ford | +0.4912s |
| 9 | 17 | Will Davison | DJR | Ford | +0.4921s |
| 10 | 2 | Nick Percat | WAU | Ford | +0.4988s |
| 11 | 6 | Cam Waters | Tickford | Ford | +0.5188s |
| 12 | 88 | Broc Feeney | Triple Eight | Chevrolet | +0.5872s |
| 13 | 34 | Jack Le Brocq | MSR | Chevrolet | +0.6018s |
| 14 | 8 | Andre Heimgartner | BJR | Chevrolet | +0.6566s |
| 15 | 5 | James Courtney | Tickford | Ford | +0.7434s |
| 16 | 9 | Will Brown | Erebus | Chevrolet | +0.8078s |
| 17 | 56 | Declan Fraser | Tickford | Ford | +0.8385s |
| 18 | 20 | Scott Pye | Team 18 | Chevrolet | +1.0032s |
| 19 | 3 | Todd Hazelwood | BRT | Ford | +1.2695s |
| 20 | 4 | Jack Smith | BJR | Chevrolet | +1.3055s |
| 21 | 31 | James Golding | PremiAir | Chevrolet | +1.3094s |
| 22 | 35 | Cameron Hill | MSR | Chevrolet | +1.3706s |
| 23 | 96 | Macauley Jones | BJR | Chevrolet | +1.4145s |
| 24 | 18 | Mark Winterbottom | Team 18 | Chevrolet | +1.4315s |
| 25 | 23 | Tim Slade | PremiAir | Chevrolet | +1.4767s |
Results: Qualifying for Race 3, 2023 OTR SuperSprint
| Pos | No. | Driver | Team | Car | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 99 | Brodie Kostecki | Erebus | Chevrolet | 1:49.4822s |
| 2 | 6 | Cam Waters | Tickford | Ford | +0.4238s |
| 3 | 55 | Thomas Randle | Tickford | Ford | +0.504s |
| 4 | 2 | Nick Percat | WAU | Ford | +0.5532s |
| 5 | 19 | Matthew Payne | Grove | Ford | +0.5982s |
| 6 | 11 | Anton De Pasquale | DJR | Ford | +0.6763s |
| 7 | 97 | Shane van Gisbergen | Triple Eight | Chevrolet | +0.6813s |
| 8 | 17 | Will Davison | DJR | Ford | +0.6834s |
| 9 | 5 | James Courtney | Tickford | Ford | +0.7817s |
| 10 | 14 | Bryce Fullwood | BJR | Chevrolet | +0.8078s |
| 11 | 88 | Broc Feeney | Triple Eight | Chevrolet | +0.8408s |
| 12 | 3 | Todd Hazelwood | BRT | Ford | +0.8954s |
| 13 | 9 | Will Brown | Erebus | Chevrolet | +0.9124s |
| 14 | 8 | Andre Heimgartner | BJR | Chevrolet | +1.0095s |
| 15 | 34 | Jack Le Brocq | MSR | Chevrolet | +1.0322s |
| 16 | 26 | David Reynolds | Grove | Ford | +1.0443s |
| 17 | 25 | Chaz Mostert | WAU | Ford | +1.0525s |
| 18 | 31 | James Golding | PremiAir | Chevrolet | +1.0599s |
| 19 | 4 | Jack Smith | BJR | Chevrolet | +1.0935s |
| 20 | 20 | Scott Pye | Team 18 | Chevrolet | +1.11s |
| 21 | 23 | Tim Slade | PremiAir | Chevrolet | +1.1125s |
| 22 | 56 | Declan Fraser | Tickford | Ford | +1.2693s |
| 23 | 35 | Cameron Hill | MSR | Chevrolet | +1.3154s |
| 24 | 18 | Mark Winterbottom | Team 18 | Chevrolet | +1.3728s |
| 25 | 96 | Macauley Jones | BJR | Chevrolet | +1.3801s |
