Photo: Red Bull Racing Australia

Jamie Whincup & Paul Dumbrell secure pole for Sandown

Triple Eight’s Jamie Whincup and Paul Dumbrell have taken pole position for this year’s Sandown 500, after setting the fastest time in qualifying and winning both of the qualifying races.

Whincup set the scene after setting the fastest time in qualifying, two-tenths of a second faster than the Holden Racing Team-run Commodore of Garth Tander, with Scott McLaughlin third fastest for Volvo.

The co-drivers then took the reins for a 20 lap qualifying race, with Dumbrell holding on to the lead throughout in the #1 Triple Eight Commodore.

Jonathon Webb put on a strong charge in the Tekno Autosports Holden to come through from seventh on the grid to second, but was almost seven seconds behind when the chequered flag fell.

Steve Owen finished the first heat third in the #5 FPR Falcon, with Alex Prémat fourth in the #33 Volvo and Greg Murphy rounding out the top five in the #22 HRT Commodore.

The primary drivers took over for the second qualifying heat, the results of which set the final order for tomorrow’s race, and the top four positions wouldn’t change, with Whincup going on to take the win ahead of Van Gisbergen, Winterbottom and McLaughlin. The first change of position was between the two HRT cars, with Garth Tander getting ahead of team-mate James Courtney for fifth.

Craig Lowndes advanced two positions to take seventh in the #888 Holden Commodore, with the Rod Nash Racing Ford of David Reynolds, the Walkinshaw Holden of Tim Slade and the Brad Jones Racing Holden of Fabian Coulthard completing the top ten.

Todd Kelly was the best placed Nissan in 11th, dropping just one spot after co-driver Alex Buncombe took an impressive tenth on his debut in the first qualifying heat, holding on to the position Kelly had earned in qualifying.

The Sandown 500 gets underway at 13:40 local time on Sunday.