Murray storms to Bathurst Super2 pole position

Murray will share the front row with 2023 series-winning team-mate Kai Allen (#1 ZB Commodore) this afternoon, ahead of Walkinshaw Andretti United’s Zach Bates (#25 ZB Commodore) and Kelly Racing’s Aaron Cameron (#27 S550 Mustang) on Row 2.

In a new Boost Mobile Qualifying format for 2024, the field was split on the basis of practice times, with the slower half into Group 1 and the quicker half into Group 2, both of which had 15 minutes on-track.

Super3 driver Cody Burcher (#15 MW Motorsport Altima) set a benchmark of 2:08.2526s in Group 1 but it was blown away when Murray ragged his #88 ZB Commodore to a 2:06.5971s on the very first flying lap in Group 2.

By the time everyone had completed one lap, it was Murray from Bates on a 2:06.9115s, Cameron Crick (#38 EMS ZB Commodore), and Cameron.

Murray set a 2:06.2189s next time through while Allen, who had eased himself into the session, moved into third on a 2:06.5311s.

With five minutes to go, Murray held sway from Bates, Cameron, Rylan Gray (#55 Tickford Autosport S550 Mustang), and Allen.

Murray went for a second set of greens while Allen continued his first run and moved up to second with three minutes to go on a 2:06.3531s despite a relatively slow first sector.

That was as good as he got, meaning he will line up on the outside of the front row this afternoon.

Jobe Stewart (#99 Erebus Academy ZB Commodore) qualified fifth, from Gray, Jarrod Hughes (#118 Image Racing ZB Commodore), and Zane Morse, who was back on-track after having parts stolen in the past 24 hours.

He would finish the session in the gravel at The Chase after an apparent failure for the #11 AIM Motorsport S550 Mustang.

Brad Vaughan (#5 Tickford S550 Mustang) took ninth, ahead of Max Vidau (#17 Anderson Motorsport S550 Mustang), Lochie Dalton (#6 Tickford S550 Mustang), Crick, Jordyn Sinni (#54 EMS ZB Commodore), and then the Group 1 runners headed up by Burcher in 14th.

Back in the Group 1 segment, Matt Chahda (#18 Matt Chahda Motorsport ZB Commodore) was quickest after the first flyers on a 2:08.5517s.

He pitted immediately after and Reuben Goodall (#20 Gomersall Motorsport ZB Commodore) took over top spot on a 2:08.2838s.

Elliott Cleary (#19 Brad Jones Racing ZB Commodore) locked up and became beached at Hell Corner with three minutes to go but Burcher was able to complete a lap, and set the aforementioned 2:08.2526s, in the seconds before the red flag was called.

Chahda had just gone personal best to the first sector, with a split faster than Burcher’s on the new provisional pole lap, but missed out on another crack when the session was declared despite 2:42s remaining at the time of the stoppage.

Goodall was classified 15th all-told, from Cameron McLeod (#92 RM Racing Cars w/ PremiAir ZB Commodore), Thomas Maxwell (#3 MWM Altima), Chahda, Mason Kelly (#22 Kelly Racing S550 Mustang), Campbell Logan (#2 WAU ZB Commodore), Cody Gillis (#9 BJR ZB Commodore), Callum Walker (#33 Walker Racing ZB Commodore), Jett Johnson (#117 AIM S550 Mustang), Cleary, and James Masterton (#219 AIM S550 Mustang).

Race 1, a 40-minute affair, starts this afternoon at 14:45 local time/AEDT.

Results: Qualifying for Race 1