Shell V-Power Racing Team’s Will Davison has scored pole position for Race 23 this afternoon despite pit exit breach briefly threatening to take it away.
Davison set a 1m 07.650s to defeat Red Bull Ampol Racing’s Shane van Gisbergen in the Top 10 Shootout after a mistake by the latter entering the final corner opened up the opportunity.
This came after Davison was investigated a pit exit brief after crossing the yellow chevron upon entry to start his Shootout lap.
Will Brown will start third after finishing on top in the second segment alongside Davison’s teammate Anton De Pasquale, who made the biggest gain in the Shootout as he entered it ninth.
Improving upon his first Top 10 Shootout in Darwin and a start line incident at The Bend, Thomas Randle was fifth in the Castrol Racing Mustang. He will line up alongside Mark Winterbottom in a strong showing for Irwin Racing.
A spectacular lap from James Courtney placed him seventh, from Matt Stone Racing’s Jack Le Brocq as Andre Heimgartner made a mistake at Turn 9 during his lap to be ninth alongside Broc Feeney.
The rookie’s lap was deleted due to a kerb strike.
It was Van Gisbergen led the way after the first segment of qualifying with a 1m 07.960s as it finished early due to the Subway PremiAir Racing’s James Golding exiting the circuit at Turn 1 and became submerged in the mud.
A red flag was displayed with just 1m 36s remaining in the session, proving controversial as it was not to be restarted.
David Reynolds and Nick Percat were the big names to miss out joining Jack Smith, Chris Pither as well as Golding.
Reynolds in fact was baulked by Smith on his hot lap exiting the final corner.
Boost Mobile Racing by Erebus driver Will Brown held the fastest lap in the second section of qualifying for much of the period at a 1m 07.715s, but a late flurry of laps proved crucial in the fact it knocked two title contenders out.
Shell V-Power Racing Team’s Will Davison set the benchmark time at a qualifying record 1m 07.481s as Thomas Randle gave himself a Top 10 Shootout berth at a 1m 07.604s to lead the Tickford Racing operation.
Missing the Top 10 Shootout were title contenders Chaz Mostert and Cameron Waters. Also eliminated were Scott Pye, Brodie Kostecki, Todd Hazelwood, Jake Kostecki, Bryce Fullwood, veteran Lee Holdsworth celebrating 500 races this afternoon, Tim Slade and Macauley Jones.
Race 23 this afternoon begins at 4:45pm AEST.