BJR duo take maiden poles amid qualifying controversy

Brad Jones Racing team-mates Nick Percat and Todd Hazelwood have both become Virgin Australia Supercars Championship pole-sitters while Scott McLaughlin was a victim of an impeding incident.

Percat denied McLaughlin yet another pole in Qualifying for Race 23 by less than a tenth of a second before himself missing out by 0.0220s in the latter 10-minute session at the Robson Civil Projects Townsville SuperSprint.

However, that meant a BJR lockout of the front row for Race 24, Hazelwood quickest with a 1:12.1541s in the #14 Black Duck ZB Commodore.

There were multiple controversies in that session, one involving McLaughlin when he hit the rear of a slow-moving Garry Jacobson at the end of his only flyer.

The Matt Stone Racing driver is under investigation for impeding, as are both of the Erebus Motorsport cars for a separate incident with Andre Heimgartner, while McLaughlin qualified 10th having reached the stripe in 1:12.4599s.

The championship leader is set to start outside of Percat’s #8 R&J Batteries ZB Commodore in Race 23, with Tickford Racing’s Cameron Waters third from Red Bull Holden Racing Team duo Shane van Gisbergen and Jamie Whincup.

The latter was fifth-fastest in Qualifying for Race 24, seven spots up on van Gisbergen.

Qualifying for Race 23

Despite reports of a handful of cars starting on new tyres, the first 10-minute session was all about the final runs around the Reid Park Street Circuit.

Whincup (#88 ZB Commodore) moved into top spot with a 1:12.5539s before Waters (#6 Monster Energy Mustang) set a 1:12.4292s.

McLaughlin (#17 Shell V-Power Mustang) looked to have done enough for pole when he edged the Tickford driver with a 1:12.3423s, but Percat then came through with a 1:12.2623s.

Van Gisbergen (#97 ZB Commodore) ended up fourth courtesy of a 1:12.4727s, 0.0812s faster than team-mate Whincup.

Rounding out the top 10 were Jack Le Brocq (#55 Supercheap Auto Mustang), Hazelwood, Bryce Fullwood (#2 Mobil 1 Middy’s ZB Commodore), David Reynolds (#9 Penrite ZB Commodore), and Lee Holdsworth (#5 Truck Assist Mustang).

Chaz Mostert (#25 Mobil 1 Appliances Online ZB Commodore) ended up 13th having had to go for a second flyer on his latter run after missing the Turn 2 apex and aborting his first.

Fabian Coulthard (#12 Shell V-Power Mustang) was 16th-fastest at 0.6142s off the pace.

Heimgartner and Anton De Pasquale (#99 Penrite ZB Commodore) did not set lap times, the former having experienced further problems under the bonnet of his #7 Ned Mustang.

Qualifying for Race 24

Coulthard, with a stiffened rear end in the #12 Mustang, was among the 11 cars to go for a lap time at the start of Qualifying for Race 24, setting a 1:12.5802s.

Alex Davison (#19 Local Legends ZB Commodore) completed an installation lap before moving to the lead with a 1:12.5214s just as most of his rivals started rolling out of pit lane for the final runs.

McLaughlin briefly moved into the lead but was heavily compromised by the run-in with Jacobson (#35 Yellow Cover ZB Commodore), and Waters knocked him off with a 1:12.3385s.

Whincup then fired in a 1:12.3370s and Percat a 1:12.1761s, but Hazelwood bettered both just before the chequered flag.

Just slower than the BJR drivers was Mostert on a 1:12.2449s which was good enough for third, ahead of De Pasquale on a 1:12.3053s.

Whincup will share Row 3 with Waters, ahead of Holdsworth, Le Brocq, James Courtney (#44 Boost Mobile ZB Commodore), and McLaughlin.

Van Gisbergen ended up 0.3475s off the pace in 12th and Coulthard 0.4261s away from pole in 14th, having not improved with his second run.

De Pasquale and Reynolds, the latter of whom put his car 19th on the grid, are under investigation having been caught by Heimgartner at Turn 6 midway through the session.

Race 23 starts at 12:05 local time/AEST.

Results: Qualifying for Race 23, Robson Civil Projects Townsville SuperSprint

Results: Qualifying for Race 24, Robson Civil Projects Townsville SuperSprint