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Harry Jones and Jordan Caruso punched out sub-record laps in qualifying sessions at Mount Panorama in Carrera Cup and Sports Sedans. Meanwhile, Aaron Borg and Jarrod Hughes were the benchmark setters in SuperUtes and Toyota 86s.
On his return to the Porsche Paynter Dixon Carrera Cup Australia from a season racing in Europe, Jones went under the German one-make series’ lap record to secure the Equity-One Pro driver and overall pole position for Race 1.
In his own Jones Motorsport entry, he pushed out a 2:04.6672 to secure the top spot and bested his Porsche Supercup team-mate Englishman Harry King in the EMA Motorsport car by 0.2s.
The fastest of the Carrera Cup Australia regulars was TekworkX Motorsport’s Max Vidau whose end-of-session lap gained him a top-three place, after he topped the earlier practice session.
Sandown winner Garth Walden Racing’s Dylan O’Keeffe qualified fourth ahead of guest Chris van der Drift, the New Zealander deputising for championship leader Callum Hedge who is racing in the United States this weekend.
On his last lap, Nick McBride went sixth for Team MPC ahead of Fabian Coulthard, Dale Wood, David Russell and Thomas Maxwell in 10th.
In the SP Tools Pro-Am Class, Liam Talbot again stood in for Luke King from Wall Racing, was fastest. Talbot’s 2:07.5001 was considerably quicker than Adrian Flack with Sam Shahin third in front of Dean Cook and Rodney Jane.
National Sports Sedan Series
Fast times were expected with the return of the category to Bathurst and Jordan Caruso didn’t disappoint when he pushed the John Gourlay Audi/Chevrolet around the circuit in 2:02.5436.
Second fastest 2.6s away was Brad Shiels at the helm of the Joe Said Fiat 124/Rotary Turbo with third fastest being Steve Tamasi (Calibra/Chevrolet). Next was series leader Tony Ricciardello (Alfa/Chev) after an electrical glitch ruled him out of Practice 2.
Speedcafe supported driver Ashley Jarvis (Monaro/Chevrolet) who is second in the points, qualified fifth in front of Ryan Humfrey (Falcon/Chevrolet), Birol Cetin (Chevrolet Camaro) and Michael Robinson (Monaro/Chevrolet).
After a broken throttle in Practice 1, Paul Boschert (Corvette/Dodge) will start Race 1 from position nine and will have Mark Duggan (Aston Martin/Chevrolet) alongside. Steve Lacey (Camaro) was next despite a broken wing throughout the session – his second for the day.
V8 SuperUtes
Aaron Borg continues his chase down of points leader Adam Marjoram by taking pole position for the first of four races in the V8 SuperUte Series at Mount Panorama. In an Isuzu D-MAX, his best lap was a 2:28.779 which was over half a second better than anybody else.
Ryal Harris switched from a Toyota Hilux to a Ford Ranger at the last round and continued with the Ford for the second-fastest time. Then followed David Sieders (Mazda BT-50) and Craig Woods (Hilux), the three separated by 0.14s.
Adrain Cottrell (Holden Colorado) and Marjoram (Mitsubishi Triton) were the next pair in front of George Gutierrez (Colorado) and Speedcafe-supported driver Jimmy Vernon (Triton). There were several who had moments with Ben Walsh the worse when he hit the tyres backwards after Skyline but was able to continue.
Toyota Gazoo Racing Australia 86 Series
Out of the two practice sessions for the fifth and final round, Jarrod Hughes was second fastest in the first and topped the second for overall Day 1 honours.
In Session 1 it was Ryan Casha who led the way. Second in the points, he was trailing the series leader Campbell Logan when the latter had an accident at Skyline.
Instead of the usual Red Flag in such a circumstance in practice and qualifying sessions, the field continued to circulate behind a Safety Car. It was an innovative move to give them, many of whom had few if any Bathurst experience, additional sight laps.
Second fastest overall was Cody Burcher ahead of Rylan Gray, Rossi Johnson, Casha, Bradi Owen, Jimmy Holdsworth, Jack Westbury, Reuben Goodall and Clay Richards in tenth place. The Toyota guest drivers for the round are New Zealanders Ben Stewart and Christina Orr-West.
