Photo: DJR Team Penske

Scott Pye scores the first pole position of the 2016 season in Adelaide

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Scott Pye claimed a stunning pole position at the Adelaide street circuit for the opening race of the V8 Supercars Championship, crossing the line in the dying moments of the short ten-minute session to go faster than Triple Eight’s Jamie Whincup by under a tenth of a second.

“It’s just a big relief,” said Pye.

“That podium at Pukekohe was the start of something good I think … everyone deserves it, it’s been a massive off season I’ve got my wish list and it’s all coming good. We’ve got to keep our head down.”

Whincup qualified second fastest in the Triple Eight Race Engineering Holden Commodore, with Garry Rogers Motorsport driver Scott McLaughlin third in the Volvo S60.

Reigning champion Mark Winterbottom, now running in the Bottle-O livery on his Prodrive Ford Falcon FG X was fourth fastest, with Holden Racing Team’s James Courtney grabbing P5 in his Commodore VF.

Shane van Gisbergen was sixth on his debut with Triple Eight, running the Red Bull Racing colours on the #97 car, while Craig Lowndes was just outside the top ten in 11th position in the Vortex sponsored Triple Eight car.

The best placed Nissan was that of Todd Kelly in seventh, just one spot ahead of team-mate and brother Rick in the Altimas.

Qualifying for Race 2 takes place immediately after the Race 1 qualifying session.