Mostert beats McLaughlin in final practice at Mount Panorama

Chaz Mostert has beaten Scott McLaughlin to top spot as three Mustang drivers made the ‘threes’ in the seventh and final practice session for the Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000.

Mostert set a 2:03.5089s just before the chequered flag in the #55 Supercheap Auto Mustang, usurping Shell V-Power Racing Team’s McLaughlin (#17 Mustang) by 0.1876s.

There were two Tickford Racing entries in the top three as Cameron Waters achieved a best of 2:03.9501s in the #6 Monster Energy Mustang, in a half-hour session which was again held under grey skies.

Unlike Practice 6, Armor All Top 10 Shootout simulations were in order and Shane van Gisbergen moved to fourth with the chequered flag out with a 2:04.0046s in the #97 Red Bull HRT ZB Commodore.

Waters set the early pace with a 2:04.1305s on his first flying lap, before Anton De Pasquale was sent on his way after Erebus tweaked the rear camber on the #99 Penrite ZB Commodore and duly delivered a 2:04.0517s on his second run.

Waters returned to first position a couple of minutes later by clocking a 2:03.9501s, before McLaughlin joined him in the ‘threes’ in the 22nd minute.

The provisional pole-sitter managed to record a 2:03.9849s despite appearing to be held up somewhat by David Reynolds at The Dipper, and found more time on his third run when he moved up a position by setting a 2:03.6965s in the 30th and final minute.

Mostert then set the fastest ever second sector in a Supercar at Mount Panorama to go to the top of the timing screen, on his fourth run.

“For me, the car kept getting better,” said the 2014 Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000 winner.

“I think just learning how to drive it and get the most out of it was the biggest thing, so I think we’ve been working hard on the car in practice.

“It feels probably a bit better on fuller tanks than what it does light tanks, so I’m hoping we’ve got a better race car than qualifying car.

“Just awesome to do a ‘three’; that’s pretty cool.”

De Pasquale went no faster on his subsequent runs and finished 0.0471s adrift van Gisbergen in fifth position, while Jamie Whincup (#888 ZB Commodore) was sixth in the second of the Triple Eight Race Engineering entries.

Rounding out the top 10 were Will Davison (#23 Milwaukee Mustang), Mark Winterbottom (#18 Irwin Tools ZB Commodore), Lee Holdsworth (#5 The Bottle-O Mustang), and Nick Percat (#8 Mobil ZB Commodore).

Garry Jacobson was fastest of the Nissan drivers in 13th position with a 2:04.9563s at the end in the #3 Rabble.Club Altima, while 2017 race winner Reynolds put the #9 Erebus ZB Commodore 14th on the timesheet.

The #27 NAPA ZB Commodore of Alexander Rossi and James Hinchcliffe was 25th fastest, while fellow wildcards Kostecki Brothers Racing did not set a time after Jake Kostecki brought the #56 ZB Commodore straight back into the pits with a power steering problem on his out lap.

The Armor All Top 10 Shootout starts at 1705 local time/AEDT.

Results: Practice 7