Le Brocq pips Waters to pole as Courtney leaps to third

Both Erebus Motorsport drivers made the one-lap dash ahead of this afternoon’s Race 14 of the Repco Supercars Championship and it was Le Brocq who prevailed with a 1:14.2467s.

Saturday pole-sitter and race winner Waters was last onto the track and came up 0.0016s shy in his Tickford Racing Ford, while the Blanchard Racing Team’s Courtney was the big mover.

The 2010 champion had been the last man into the Top 10 Shootout for Race 14 and thus first onto the race track in the #7 Snowy River Caravans Mustang.

He glanced the wall exiting Turn 3 of the Reid Park Street Circuit on his way to 1:14.2964s, but that time could not be beaten by the next five drivers on-track.

Le Brocq (#9 Tyrepower Camaro) was finally able to unseat Courtney, by all of 0.0497s, and hence was eyeing off pole position with three drivers to come.

Tickford’s Thomas Randle (#55 Castrol Mustang) was next to roll out and he took up third with a 1:14.3642s, as an increase in sunlight looked to be having an impact on the track surface.

Dick Johnson Racing’s Will Davison (#17 Shell V-Power Mustang) was the penultimate driver on-track and set a 1:14.4733s to be fourth.

That became fifth when Waters drove the #6 Monster Energy Mustang to a 1:14.2483s to at least earn another front row start.

It meant a first pole position for Erebus this year, and a first for Le Brocq since returning to the team.

Triple Eight Race Engineering’s Broc Feeney (#88 Red Bull Ampol Camaro) reported “no rear grip” on his radio but still climbed from ninth to sixth all-told with a 1:14.4742s.

DJR’s Anton De Pasquale (#11 Shell V-Power Mustang) ended up seventh on a 1:14.4800s and will share Row 4 with Walkinshaw Andretti United’s Chaz Mostert (#25 Mobil 1 Optus Mustang), who clocked a 1:14.4964s.

Brodie Kostecki took ninth on a 1:14.5158s which he described as a “pretty terrible” lap and later revealed he is feeling the effects of steering dramas, being up to his third rack of the weekend in the #1 Erebus Camaro.

Grove Racing’s Matt Payne (#19 Penrite Mustang) was classified 10th on a 1:14.6700s.

The second and final 88-lap race of the NTI Townsville 500 weekend is due to start at 14:40 local time/AEST.

Results: Top 10 Shootout for Race 14, NTI Townsville 500