![Fabian Coulthard scored pole position for Race 21 in Townsville](https://speedcafe.us/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/2_Fabian-Coulthard-344x229.jpg)
James Courtney and Fabian Coulthard shared the pole positions in a typically tight pair of 10 minute qualifying sessions in Townsville.
Courtney led a Holden Racing Team one-two in the first session, which set the grid for Race 20.
Practice fast-man Shane van Gisbergen had looked on course for pole before dropping to sixth as he sat in pitlane over the final minutes.
A 1:12.80s from Courtney proved 0.2s clear of Garth Tander's best, while Jason Bright, Scott McLaughlin and Craig Lowndes completed the top five.
Seventh through 10th was filled by Tim Slade, Will Davison, Nick Percat and Jamie Whincup.
Percat and Davison both shone in the second session, with the former shooting to the top of the order as the chequered flag flew.
Coulthard denied the youngster a first career pole however, with the Lockwood Holden edging the HHA entry by 0.05s.
Coulthard had earlier managed just 14th in the Race 20 session.
“We had to have a bit of a turnaround in the first one where we were unlucky not to have a second lap on our set of tyres,” said the Kiwi afterwards.
“We just had to tighten the belts and go racing.”
Ford Performance Racing's four Falcons struggled in both sessions, failing to put a car in the top 10 of either hit-out.
Championship leader Mark Winterbottom will start just 17th and 19th in the respective races.
Races 20 and 21 are scheduled to kick-off at 1415 and 1650 respectively.
See below qualifying for Race 20
1 | Holden Racing Team | James Courtney | Holden Commodore VF | 1:12.8026 | |
2 | Holden Racing Team | Garth Tander | Holden Commodore VF | 1:13.0035 | 0:00.2009 |
3 | Team BOC | Jason Bright | Holden Commodore VF | 1:13.0265 | 0:00.2239 |
4 | Valvoline Racing GRM | Scott McLaughlin | Volvo S60 | 1:13.0706 | 0:00.2680 |
5 | Red Bull Racing Australia | Holden Commodore VF | 1:13.1070 | 0:00.3044 | |
6 | Team Tekno VIP Petfoods | Shane Van Gisbergen | Holden Commodore VF | 1:13.1496 | 0:00.3470 |
7 | Supercheap Auto Racing | Tim Slade | Holden Commodore VF | 1:13.1883 | 0:00.3857 |
8 | Erebus Motorsport V8 | Will Davison | Mercedes E63 AMG | 1:13.2506 | 0:00.4480 |
9 | Walkinshaw Racing | Nick Percat | Holden Commodore VF | 1:13.2543 | 0:00.4517 |
10 | Red Bull Racing Australia | Jamie Whincup | Holden Commodore VF | 1:13.2710 | 0:00.4684 |
11 | The Bottle-O Racing Team | David Reynolds | Ford Falcon FG | 1:13.3351 | 0:00.5325 |
12 | Norton Hornets | Nissan Altima | 1:13.3444 | 0:00.5418 | |
13 | Ford Pepsi Max Crew | Chaz Mostert | Ford Falcon FG | 1:13.3974 | 0:00.5948 |
14 | Lockwood Racing | Fabian Coulthard | Holden Commodore VF | 1:13.4415 | 0:00.6389 |
15 | Norton Hornets | James Moffat | Nissan Altima | 1:13.4649 | 0:00.6623 |
16 | Erebus Motorsport V8 | Lee Holdsworth | Mercedes E63 AMG | 1:13.4904 | 0:00.6878 |
17 | Ford Pepsi Max Crew | Ford Falcon FG | 1:13.5669 | 0:00.7643 | |
18 | Jack Daniel's Racing | Todd Kelly | Nissan Altima | 1:13.6659 | 0:00.8633 |
19 | Jack Daniel's Racing | Rick Kelly | Nissan Altima | 1:13.7046 | 0:00.9020 |
20 | Wilson Security Racing | David Wall | Ford Falcon FG | 1:13.7258 | 0:00.9232 |
21 | Repair Management Aust Racing | Russell Ingall | Holden Commodore VF | 1:13.7455 | 0:00.9429 |
22 | Wilson Security Racing | Scott Pye | Ford Falcon FG | 1:13.7968 | 0:00.9942 |
23 | Valvoline Racing GRM | Robert Dahlgren | Volvo S60 | 1:13.8677 | 0:01.0651 |
24 | Team JELD-WEN | Jack Perkins | Ford Falcon FG | 1:13.8942 | 0:01.0916 |
25 | Team Advam/GB | Dale Wood | Holden Commodore VF | 1:13.9271 | 0:01.1245 |
See below qualifying for Race 21
1 | Lockwood Racing | Fabian Coulthard | Holden Commodore VF | 1:13.0169 | |
2 | Walkinshaw Racing | Nick Percat | Holden Commodore VF | 1:13.0673 | 0:00.0504 |
3 | Erebus Motorsport V8 | Will Davison | Mercedes E63 AMG | 1:13.1093 | 0:00.0924 |
4 | Valvoline Racing GRM | Volvo S60 | 1:13.1171 | 0:00.1002 | |
5 | Team Tekno VIP Petfoods | Shane Van Gisbergen | Holden Commodore VF | 1:13.1184 | 0:00.1015 |
6 | Red Bull Racing Australia | Craig Lowndes | Holden Commodore VF | 1:13.1217 | 0:00.1048 |
7 | Supercheap Auto Racing | Tim Slade | Holden Commodore VF | 1:13.1685 | 0:00.1516 |
8 | Holden Racing Team | James Courtney | Holden Commodore VF | 1:13.1879 | 0:00.1710 |
9 | Erebus Motorsport V8 | Lee Holdsworth | Mercedes E63 AMG | 1:13.2854 | 0:00.2685 |
10 | Red Bull Racing Australia | Jamie Whincup | Holden Commodore VF | 1:13.3499 | 0:00.3330 |
11 | Holden Racing Team | Garth Tander | Holden Commodore VF | 1:13.3708 | 0:00.3539 |
12 | Ford Pepsi Max Crew | Chaz Mostert | Ford Falcon FG | 1:13.4136 | 0:00.3967 |
13 | Team BOC | Jason Bright | Holden Commodore VF | 1:13.4476 | 0:00.4307 |
14 | Norton Hornets | James Moffat | Nissan Altima | 1:13.4541 | 0:00.4372 |
15 | Team Advam/GB | Dale Wood | Holden Commodore VF | 1:13.4639 | 0:00.4470 |
16 | Norton Hornets | Nissan Altima | 1:13.4658 | 0:00.4489 | |
17 | The Bottle-O Racing Team | David Reynolds | Ford Falcon FG | 1:13.4713 | 0:00.4544 |
18 | Valvoline Racing GRM | Robert Dahlgren | Volvo S60 | 1:13.4864 | 0:00.4695 |
19 | Ford Pepsi Max Crew | Mark Winterbottom | Ford Falcon FG | 1:13.4921 | 0:00.4752 |
20 | Wilson Security Racing | Scott Pye | Ford Falcon FG | 1:13.5967 | 0:00.5798 |
21 | Jack Daniel's Racing | Rick Kelly | Nissan Altima | 1:13.6191 | 0:00.6022 |
22 | Team JELD-WEN | Jack Perkins | Ford Falcon FG | 1:13.6359 | 0:00.6190 |
23 | Repair Management Aust Racing | Russell Ingall | Holden Commodore VF | 1:13.8971 | 0:00.8802 |
24 | Wilson Security Racing | David Wall | Ford Falcon FG | 1:13.9109 | 0:00.8940 |
25 | Jack Daniel's Racing | Todd Kelly | Nissan Altima | 1:13.9332 | 0:00.9163 |
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