The Will Davison/John McIntyre Trading Post FPR Falcon will start Sunday’s Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000 from pole position after coming out on top in a typically tense Top 10 Shootout.
The fourth-last driver on the circuit, Davison ran a 2:08.07s lap to eclipse the existing fastest time of Shane van Gisbergen.
The final three runners – Mark Winterbottom, Fabian Coulthard and Jamie Whincup – all failed to knock Davison from the top spot, with Whincup coming closest on 2:08.10s to secure second.
Van Gisbergen’s time held up for third with Winterbottom, Coulthard, Garth Tander, Tim Slade, David Reynolds, Craig Lowndes and Steve Owen rounding out the top 10.
The session was held in dry conditions as predicted rain failed to materialise.
Speaking to his team immediately after what would turn out to be the pole winning lap, Davison described his car as “loose but not too bad … I was just chasing the rear the whole lap.”
The 2009 race winner had earlier suffered from major understeer during his qualifying simulation run in the morning’s Practice 6.
The Armor All Pole Award is Davison’s fifth of the year, equaling the total of Craig Lowndes.
See below for the full Top 10 Shootout result
| 1 | Trading Post FPR Ford | Will Davison | Ford Falcon FG | 2:08.0693 | |
| 2 | TeamVodafone | Jamie Whincup | Holden Commodore VE2 | 2:08.1008 | 0:00.0315 |
| 3 | SP Tools Racing | Shane Van Gisbergen | Ford Falcon FG | 2:08.1791 | 0:00.1098 |
| 4 | Orrcon Steel FPR Ford | Mark Winterbottom | Ford Falcon FG | 2:08.1963 | 0:00.1270 |
| 5 | Lockwood Racing | Fabian Coulthard | Holden Commodore VE2 | 2:08.3385 | 0:00.2692 |
| 6 | Holden Racing Team | Garth Tander | Holden Commodore VE2 | 2:08.4755 | 0:00.4062 |
| 7 | Lucky 7 Racing | Tim Slade | Ford Falcon FG | 2:08.5995 | 0:00.5302 |
| 8 | The Bottle-O Racing | David Reynolds | Ford Falcon FG | 2:08.8866 | 0:00.8173 |
| 9 | TeamVodafone | Craig Lowndes | Holden Commodore VE2 | 2:09.0997 | 0:01.0304 |
| 10 | VIP Petfoods | Steve Owen | Ford Falcon FG | 2:10.0723 | 0:02.0030 |
See below for Speedcafe.com’s Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000 Race Guide.
