Reigning Repco Supercars Championship winner Shane van Gisbergen has ended the second session in Newcastle at the top of the timesheets as both Ford and Chevrolet split the 10.
The New Zealand ace set a time of 1m 11.755s to lead Shell V-Power Racing Team’s Will Davison by 0.037s as Red Bull Ampol Racing Team young gun Broc Feeney was third.
Many drivers pushed the limits of braking at Turn 1 and as a consequence went down the escape road. Chaz Mostert in his Optus Mobil 1 Racing Ford Mustang encountered a slight wheel drama, before grazing the wall.
Mostert still managed fourth on a 1m 11.906s ahead of opening practice pacesetter Andre Heimgartner in the R&J Batteries Brad Jones Racing Chevrolet Camaro.
Team 18 duo Scott Pye and Mark Winterbottom just missed a top five berth, leading Shell V-Power Racing Team’s Anton De Pasquale, Cameron Waters in the Monster Energy Racing Mustang and his teammate James Courtney in the Snowy River Campers entry.
Penrite Racing’s David Reynolds placed 12th after being one of the frontrunners in opening practice, Coca-Cola Racing by Erebus driver Brodie Kostecki was 12th, Nick Percat 13th for NTI Mobil 1 Racing and Tim Slade followed in the Nulon Racing Camaro.
Will Brown was also another to drop, placing 16th as teams used the session to complete pit stop practice runs.
A final practice session will be held later this afternoon at 3:50pm AEDT.