Dumbrell sets track record in opening Super2 practice

Paul Dumbrell has ended the opening Dunlop Super2 practice session fastest ahead of this weekend’s round at the Rabble.Club Sandown 500.

Dumbrell was one of three drivers to complete a lap under the previous Super2 practice record, his 1:09.3238s set with five minutes left in the opening 40 minute session.

His effort bumped Eggleston Motorsport team-mate Dom Storey from top spot as a flurry of late efforts saw the timesheets change rapidly in the closing minutes.

The session began with Dumbrell and Garry Jacobson split by just 0.0003s before the first of two red flags came out just shy of the halfway point.

Jake Kostecki found the gravel at Dandenong Road before being freed and driving back to the pits.

After the restart, Dumbrell went fastest as Macauley Jones moved up the order to second, just over half a tenth down on the series leader’s best to that point.

Nathan Morcom demonstrated solid pace, sitting inside the top 10 throughout the session and ending the hit out eighth.

In the final 10 minutes the majority of teams began bolting on a set of soft compound tyres.

Afforded six of the faster tyres for Friday’s practice, Brenton Grove had a spell at the top of the timesheets courtesy of a 1:09.7668s after being among the first to make the switch.

Morcom also improved before Storey and Dumbrell both went fastest as the session began to wind down.

A late lap from Shae Davies saw the Paul Morris Motorsport driver leap into second, 0.1910s off Dumbrell, shortly before a second red flag was shown.

It ended the session, with Matt Chahda stuck at Dandenong Road, leaving Dumbrell, Davies and Story as the only three to lap under the previous Super2 track record.

Will Brown was next best to make for three Eggleston cars in the top four, with Thomas Randle fifth from Macauley Jones in sixth.

Grove, Morcom, Jordan Boys and Brodie Kostecki completed the top 10.

Super2 returns with a second 40 minute practice session at 1315 local time/AEST.

Results: Practice 1