David Reynolds, Will Davison grab opening poles at Albert Park
David Reynolds and Will Davison will start the opening two races of the Albert Park weekend from pole after the first qualifying sessions for Supercars’ F1 support meeting.
Reynolds became the sixth different driver to snare pole in the opening session to set the grid for Round 6 of the campaign as he put his Grove Racing-run Falcon on top of the timesheets – marking a first pole for the veteran since 2019.
Sitting on top of the times after the first runs in the session, Reynolds secured pole when Jake Kostecki went off into the barriers at turn five to bring out the red flags, with the session not being restarted.
“I was a little bit lost after practice,” Reynolds said. “We made some good changes and I did a 98 per cent lap, and it was good enough for pole.
“I’m really stoked with that, it’s a full credit to the team at Penrite Racing. We’ve worked so hard the last couple of months and produced some good cars.”
Anton De Pasquale joins Reynolds on the front row of the grid ahead of Chaz Mostert, who showed much improved form compared to the last round at Symmons Plains to grab third despite running off track at turn one just before the stoppage.
Will Davison took fourth spot ahead of Bathurst winner Lee Holdsworth, with Nick Percat, Cam Waters and Macauley Jones rounding out the top eight.
Notable in his absence from the front was points leader Shane van Gisbergen, who was unable to set a timed lap in the session as a result of the stoppage.
The Triple Eight driver had lost his first lap to a kerb strike at turn ten and the red flag came out before he was then able to run another timed lap – meaning he will start 24th on the grid with only Kostecki behind him. Team-mate Broc Feeney was only 17th after a practice crash.
Davison then grabbed pole for the second race of the weekend as he prevented Reynolds from taking a double, making the DJR driver the first driver this season to score more than one pole.
“I knew it was in the car, and it was knowing i had to put it together,” he said. “I’m bloody happy with that… thanks to the team, we’re off to a good start.”
Van Gisbergen was able to grab third spot ahead of team-mate Feeney with De Pasquale and Brodie Kostecki – another driver caught out by the earlier red flag – securing sixth.
James Courtney – who makes his 500th start in race one – and Chaz Mostert rounded out the top eight.
Two further qualifying sessions will take place on Friday ahead of the opening race of the weekend.
