McLaughlin claims 10th Armor All Pole of 2019 in Darwin

Scott McLaughlin has secured his 10th pole position of 2019 in Armor All Qualifying for Race 15 of the season at the BetEasy Darwin Triple Crown.

McLaughlin aborted his final qualifying run around Hidden Valley Raceway but still had 0.1424s over the field when David Reynolds lifted himself back onto the front row with the chequered flag out.

Reynolds’ rise denied Will Davison a first front row start for Milwaukee Racing although third on the grid is still the best of the campaign so far for the #23 Mustang.

Fabian Coulthard was only 10th in the second of the Shell V-Power Racing Team Fords while Shane van Gisbergen missed the top 10.

McLaughlin effectively only needed used tyres to get through to the final 10-minute stanza before setting a 1:06.0108s in his first run at Part 3 of the knockout session.

He aborted his second run in the #17 Mustang but still had enough in reserve to take not only a milestone pole for himself but also Team Penske’s 600th across all series.

“This is for obviously ‘The Captain and his team,” said McLaughlin.

“We (DJR Team Penske) came on very late, but glad to add a few poles to it.

“But, to get the Armor All cheque today, our 10th one for the year, it’s fantastic.

“The car was awesome. I stuffed up that last lap, I’m pissed off but anyway, it’ll be alright.”

Davison started in Part 1 of the session and gave himself only one chance at a flyer in the final part, which he converted for a 1:06.1594s that left him second when the session timed out.

Reynolds, however, was ultimately best of the rest for a second session in a row with a 1:06.1532s in the #9 Penrite ZB Commodore, while team-mate Anton De Pasquale (#99 ZB Commodore) will start fourth.

“I’m stoked, we’ve come through the hard way, but I knew I felt potential in the car over yesterday and today,” said Davison of his best qualifying of the year.

“I mean, everyone’s got that story, but it’s really tricky to get the car in the sweet spot. Even to drive it, I’ve been kicking myself overnight.”

The three more Tickford cars fill positions five through seven in Cameron Waters (#6 Monster Energy Mustang), Chaz Mostert (#55 Supercheap Auto Mustang), and Lee Holdsworth (#5 The Bottle-O Mustang).

Jamie Whincup could only find slight improvement in his final run to put the #88 Red Bull HRT ZB Commodore eighth, from Andre Heimgartner (#7 Plus Fitness Altima), who also came from Part 1, and Coulthard (#12 Mustang).

Van Gisbergen (#97 Triple Eight ZB Commodore) went into the first part of qualifying and therefore waited to make only one run in the second part in a bid to save a set of tyres, but qualified 12th with a time which was 0.0429s away from the cut.

“We were good on the old tyres; it’s the story of our last few rounds,” said the 2016 champion.

“It’s a shame, but that’s where we are.”

Nick Percat (#8 Dunlop ZB Commodore) was in fact the highest placed driver to miss out on advancing to the final 10 minutes when Waters elevated himself four positions to eighth just after the chequered flag.

Mark Winterbottom (#18 Irwin Tools ZB Commodore) will share Row 7 with James Courtney (#22 Mobil 1 Mega ZB Commodore), while Rick Kelly was 15th in the #15 Castrol Altima.

Only 0.1025s covered the top five drivers who made it out of Part 1 of the session, headed by Percat.

That five remained unchanged from the first runs to the second, although there was a nervous period for van Gisbergen given that Davison moved up from fifth to fourth in the 10th and final minute of the stanza.

Race 15 of the Virgin Australia Supercars Championship, scheduled for 42 laps/120km, is due to start at 1615 local time/1645 AEST.

Results: Armor All Qualifying for Race 15