Allen quickest in Townsville Super2 practice

The series leader set a 1:14.7195s in the #1 Eggleston Motorsport ZB Commodore to claim Friday honours, from Tickford Racing’s Gray and Practice 1 fast man Zach Bates of Walkinshaw Andretti United.

Light rain as cars waited in dummy grid saw the 40-minute session officially declared wet, meaning drivers would be allowed to use their treaded rubber if they saw fit.

There were no signs of that, however, and Jobe Stewart (#99 Erebus Motorsport ZB Commodore) kicked proceedings off with a 1:16.5865s on slicks, before Cooper Murray (#88 Eggleston Motorsport ZB Commodore) moved the marker to a 1:16.1607s next time through.

Bates (#25 ZB Commodore) was one of several through pit lane for practice starts before he laid down a 1:15.7210s and then a 1:15.7060s on his opening hot laps of the session.

Once the first runs were done, Bates held sway from Brad Vaughan (#5 Tickford S550 Mustang) on a 1:16.0370s and Jack Perkins (#79 Blanchard Racing Team S550 Mustang) on a 1:16.0439s.

Murray, who had been on an excursion through the grass exiting Turn 6, joined Bates in the ‘15s’ with a 1:15.9630s on his second run, on used tyres.

Dean Fiore (#111 AIM Motorsport S550 Mustang) eventually moved up to second place from 17th after a 1:16.1987s, 1:15.9684s, and 1:15.9382s on consecutive laps.

If that was not a sign that the switch to green tyres was on, then the flurry which followed certainly was.

Kelly Racing went one-two in the 27th minute when Aaron Cameron (#27 S550 Mustang) set a 1:15.3943s and Mason Kelly (#22 S550 Mustang), a 1:15.6053s.

Stewart reclaimed the ascendancy with a 1:15.1110s and then got down to a 1:14.9045s before he was usurped by Allen on a 1:14.8735s.

Bates shot back to the top on a 1:14.8552s but was bettered almost immediately by Allen on a 1:14.7972s, after which both returned to pit lane.

Tickford had not shown its hand in that period, but then Rylan Gray (#55 S550 Mustang) took over second place on a 1:14.8337s in the final four minutes.

Allen improved marginally to a 1:14.7195s on his final lap and that settled matters at the top, with Stewart ending up fourth and Murray fifth, the latter having straight-lined the back end of the circuit while on a decent lap during the ‘happy hour’ phase.

Rounding out the top 10 were Cameron Crick (#38 Eggleston ZB Commodore), Perkins, Cody Gillis (#9 Brad Jones Racing ZB Commodore), Cameron, and Jordyn Sinni (#54 Eggleston ZB Commodore).

Vaughan and Matt Chahda (#18 Matt Chahda Motorsport ZB Commodore) ended up 22nd and 25th respectively in the 25-car field but neither ran green tyres.

Qualifying for Race 1 of the weekend starts tomorrow at 09:40 local time/AEST.

Results: Practice 2