Four-times V8 Supercars champion Jamie Whincup has claimed the fastest time in the opening qualifying session for the ITM 400 Auckland at Pukekohe Park.
Whincup shot to the front with a 1:02.5597s lap late in the 15-minute session to go ahead of Fabian Coulthard (1:02.8534s) with Mark Winterbottom third in 1:03.0533s.
GRM driver Alex Premat was the fourth quickest, out-qualifying his start team-mate Scott McLaughlin who claimed the 10th fastest time.
The cars are being prepared for the the second qualifying session also over 15 minutes ahead of a top 10 shootout which will determined the order of the first five rows for the Race 6.
V8 SUPERCARS: Qualifying Race 6 – Pukekohe
| Position | Driver | Team | Time |
| 1 | Jamie Whincup | Red Bull Racing Australia | 1:02.5597R |
| 2 | Fabian Coulthard | Lockwood Racing | +0.2937 |
| 3 | Mark Winterbottom | Pepsi Max Crew FPR Ford | +0.4936 |
| 4 | Alexandre Premat | Fujitsu Racing GRM | +0.5100 |
| 5 | Jason Bright | Team BOC | +0.5264 |
| 6 | Craig Lowndes | Red Bull Racing Australia | +0.5421 |
| 7 | Shane van Gisbergen | TEKNO Team VIP | +0.5431 |
| 8 | David Reynolds | The Bottle-O FPR Ford | +0.5693 |
| 9 | Garth Tander | Holden Racing Team | +0.5753 |
| 10 | Scott McLaughlin | Fujitsu Racing GRM | +0.5929 |
| 11 | Will Davison | Pepsi Max Crew FPR Ford | +0.6328 |
| 12 | James Courtney | Holden Racing Team | +0.6358 |
| 13 | Jonathon Webb | Tekno Autosports | +0.8072 |
| 14 | Alex Davison | Jeld-wen FPR Ford | +0.8097 |
| 15 | Rick Kelly | Jack Daniel’s Racing | +0.8339 |
| 16 | Tim Blanchard | Wilson Security Racing | +0.8443 |
| 17 | Michael Caruso | Norton 360 Racing | +0.8518 |
| 18 | David Wall | Wilson Security Racing | +0.8956 |
| 19 | Todd Kelly | Jack Daniel’s Racing | +0.9218 |
| 20 | Tony D’Alberto | Team HIFLEX | +0.9298 |
| 21 | Lee Holdsworth | IRWIN Racing | +0.9548 |
| 22 | Russell Ingall | Supercheap Auto Racing | +0.9594 |
| 23 | Dean Fiore | Dodo Insurance Racing | +1.0202 |
| 24 | James Moffat | Norton 360 Racing | +1.1067 |
| 25 | Jonny Reid | Wilson Security Racing | +1.3080 |
| 26 | Maro Engel | SP Tools Racing | +1.4120 |
| 27 | Tim Slade | Heavy Haulage Australia Racing | No Time |
