Feeney heads Triple Eight one-two in Bathurst 500 qualifying

Feeney beat team-mate Will Brown by 0.2983s in the 20-minute session, with Team 18’s David Reynolds (#20 Tradie Beer Camaro) third and Walkinshaw Andretti United’s Chaz Mostert (#25 Mobil 1 Optus Mustang) first of the Ford contingent in fourth.

Todd Hazelwood (#99 TFH Camaro) made it into the Top 10 Shootout in fifth but Erebus Motorsport team-mate Jack Le Brocq (#9 TFH Camaro) is locked into 12th on the starting grid for this afternoon’s first race of the Thrifty Bathurst 500.

Grey skies greeted the field for the first competitive session of the year, and Triple Eight Race Engineering was one-two after the first flyers with Brown on a 2:06.4426s and Feeney on a 2:06.6395s.

It had started to drizzle ever so slightly in the paddock by the time Feeney got back down to clock a 2:06.1079s on his second lap, with Brown having pitted.

By the time most had completed a run, they were still top two, from Reynolds, with WAU rookie Ryan Wood top of the Ford pilots in fourth on a 2:06.8045s in the #2 Mobil 1 Truck Assist Mustang.

Matt Stone Racing’s Cameron Hill (#4 Tyrepower Camaro) ran off-sequence and moved into third on a 2:06.5518s in the 13th minute, before Grove Racing’s Richie Stanaway (#26 Penrite Mustang) took over fourth on a 2:06.5530s, despite replays showing a recent dirt-track moment at McPhillamy Park.

The final runs kicked off and Mostert moved into second on a 2:06.4216s before he was usurped by Hazelwood on a 2:06.4001s, then Brown on a 2:06.2855s.

Le Brocq was 10th when the chequered flag fell on Boost Mobile Qualifying, after which Matt Payne beached his #19 Penrite Mustang at Murray’s Corner.

Despite that, Mostert came through to move up one spot to third on a 2:06.3864s before team-mate Wood jumped into seventh on a 2:06.5197s.

That bumped Le Brocq and then Reynolds vaulted from 12th to third on a 2:06.3308s, bumping Nick Percat (#10 Bendix Camaro).

Sixth went to Anton De Pasquale (#11 Shell V-Power Mustang), from James Golding (#31 PremiAir Nulon Camaro), Wood, Hill, and Stanaway, with Percat 11th, from Le Brocq, Bryce Fullwood (#14 Middy’s Camaro), and Payne.

Thomas Randle (#55 Castrol Mustang) was first of the Tickford Racing duo in 16th, his team-mate Cam Waters (#6 Monster Energy Mustang) took 20th and Dick Johnson Racing’s Will Davison (#17 Shell V-Power Mustang) ended up 21st.

The Top 10 Shootout for Race 1 starts at 13:05 local time/AEDT.

Results: Qualifying for Race 1