Feeney pips Reynolds in Darwin Supercars Practice 1

Triple Eight Race Engineering’s Broc Feeney has pipped Grove Racing’s David Reynolds to the fastest lap in Practice 1 for the Supercars Betr Darwin Triple Crown.

Feeney set a 1:06.5132s in the #88 Red Bull Ampol Racing Camaro with the chequered flag out at Hidden Valley, meaning he beat Reynolds and the #26 Penrite Mustang by 0.0307s in the half-hour session.

Mark Winterbottom (#18 DeWalt Camaro) was fastest for the majority of the session and ended up third, from Will Davison (#17 Shell V-Power Mustang) and Cameron Waters (#6 Monster Energy Mustang).

In typical Darwin heat, Winterbottom was fastest after each of the first two flying laps, on a 1:06.9383s and then a 1:06.6681s.

By the time most had completed their opening run, Davison was second on a 1:06.7835s and Waters had moved to third on a 1:06.8372s.

Meanwhile, Shane van Gisbergen (#97 Red Bull Ampol Camaro) had been in and back out of the pits to address an issue with a Safety Car test which Supercars was conducting, costing the Triple Eight driver track time.

READ MORE: New Safety Car limiter ruins SVG’s Practice 1

James Courtney (#5 Snowy River Caravans Mustang) had an off at Turn 1 early in the session before Jack Smith (#4 SCT Logistics Camaro) and Reynolds did likewise in quick succession around the halfway mark.

Van Gisbergen crept up to 12th on a 1:07.1216s with seven minutes remaining, before Reynolds dusted himself off to set s 1:06.5439s and take over top spot in the final minute before the chequered flag.

However, it was Feeney who would earn early bragging rights.

Todd Hazelwood (#3 CoolDrive Mustang) was a late improver, ended up sixth on a 1:06.8451s, from Anton De Pasquale (#11 Shell V-Power Mustang), championship leader Brodie Kostecki (#99 Coca-Cola Camaro), Matt Payne (#19 Penrite Mustang), and Cameron Hill (#35 Truck Assist Camaro).

Will Brown (#9 Coca-Cola Camaro) took 11th on a 1:06.9432s, Chaz Mostert (#25 Mobil 1 Optus Mustang) was 17th on a 1:07.1110s, and van Gisbergen finished 18th on the aforementioned lap time.

How many got onto new rubber at the end, the compound this weekend being the super soft, is not clear, although it is known that Davison did not end up leaving the pits for a late green tyre run.

Practice 2 for the Repco Supercars Championship field, another half-hour hit-out, is due to start at 14:05 local time/14:35 AEST.

Results: Practice 1