Jamie Whincup scores pole 86 ahead of first Darwin SuperSprint outing
Seven-time Supercars champion Jamie Whincup has further stretched one of his records in the Supercars history books as the Triple Eight driver took his 86th career pole, going fastest early in today’s Top 15 Shootout in Darwin.
Despite provisionally qualifying 12th, Whincup was able to make use of the track when it was covered in clouds to take pole on fresh tyres, just pipping his championship rival Scott McLaughlin as the DJR Team Penske driver ended up just 0.0633 behind.
Whincup’s lap was the fastest of the weekend and quicker than anyone had gone in the last round, putting him in the prime spot to back up his Triple Crown win a week ago.
Tickford Racing was able to get up the front with three of their four cars in the top five, headed by the #44 of James Courtney with Cam Waters and Lee Holdsworth able to get up to fourth and fifth respectively as Jack Le Brocq managed 15th.
Anton de Pasquale flew the flag for Erebus Motorsport with sixth on the grid while seventh and eighth were taken by provisional pole man Mark Winterbottom and Scott Pye who had gone quickest in opening practice, showing the Team 18 cars have good pace in the Top End.
Nick Percat was the lone driver from Brad Jones Racing to make the shootout and squeezed in to ninth ahead of Darwin local driver Bryce Fullwood, heading the two Walkinshaw Andretti United cars in tenth as his team-mate Chaz Mostert could only manage 12th.
Though a Triple Eight car took pole, Shane van Gisbergen couldn’t get to grips on his shootout lap, only managing 11th despite being on green tyres. The Kelly Racing Mustang of Andre Heimgartner will start alongside Fabian Coulthard’s DJR Team Penske entry from the seventh row, both just ahead of Le Brocq.
Race one for the weekend will run for 38 laps and begins at 1350 local time, Whincup trying to take his 121st career victory.
