Monster Energy Racing’s Cameron Waters mastered the treacherous conditions at Sandown this morning to lead the way ahead of qualifying for Race 23 this afternoon.
Mixed conditions greeted the drivers this morning after a deluge of rain last night in the Melbourne area, which subsided prior to track action this morning as the sun tried to pierce the clouds.
A late flurry of laps to end the session ended in Waters setting a 1m 09.184s to pip former teammate Chaz Mostert in the Mobil 1 Optus Racing Holden Commodore by 0.332s, while Boost Mobile Racing by Erebus was third trailing the benchmark time by 0.410s.
Repco Supercars Championship leader Shane van Gisbergen was fourth ahead of fellow Kiwi Andre Heimgartner in his R&J Batteries Brad Jones Racing Commodore.
Aiming to snap a run of bad luck in the championship so far, Nulon Racing’s Scott Pye was sixth from Will Davison in the lead Shell V-Power Racing Team Ford Mustang, Penrite Racing driver David Reynolds, the Middy’s Electrical Racing Commodore of Bryce Fullwood and Tim Slade for Blanchard Racing Team completed the top 10.
Turn 2 proved the scene of many off track excursions including for Mostert, while the reigning Bathurst 1000 winner also gave the hurry up to a couple of drivers through this area including Heimgartner and Jack Smith.
Just missing the top 10 were Anton De Pasquale, Brodie Kostecki, Thomas Randle, Macauley Jones and James Courtney.
It was a disappointing session for Mark Winterbottom after a top five berth yesterday in opening practice to be 21st and likewise for rookie Broc Feeney in 25th.
Qualifying for Race 23 begins at 12:50pm and the opening event occurs at 4:45pm.