Michael Patrizi has set the fastest time in practice ahead of this weekend’s fifth round of the Carrera Cup Series at Sydney Motorsport Park.
The first session went the way of joint championship leader Warren Luff from Nick Foster and Patrizi.
The second practice got underway 10 minutes late after the previous Touring Car Masters session saw one of the cars put oil down on the track. The slick conditions meant the first half of the 20-minute Carrera Cup session was slower than the first before the track came to life late.
Patrizi posted the fastest time in the dying seconds from Luff and Nick McBride.
“We have been fast since Townsville and the car is in the window here in Sydney,” said Patrizi.
“I actually made a change for the second session and I didn’t think it felt as good as the first practice. So we will go back in that direction for qualifying and I’m sure we can find even more time.”
Fastest in the elite group was Shane Smollen with Roger Lago and Stephen Grove also on the pace.
“Probably the best opening practice sessions we have had this year,” said Smollen.
“It’s important to now carry that through into tomorrow.
“The weather earlier this week in Sydney was poor, plus the oil from the previous session also meant there was little grip out there. However, everyone had the same conditions and we were able to get the most out of the car.”
The Carrera Cup will see qualifying in the morning with the opening race of the weekend in between the two V8 Supercar races.
VIDEO: Patrizi and Smollen speak after practice
See below for Carrera Cup Practice 1
| Pos | Entrant | Driver | Time | Gap | |
| 1 | 7 | No Second Chance/Phase 8 | Warren Luff (QLD) | 1:31.1926 | |
| 2 | 777 | Bob Jane T-Marts | Nick Foster (VIC) | 1:31.5049 | 00.3123 |
| 3 | 29 | Onsite Rental Racing | Michael Patrizi (SA) | 1:31.6011 | 00.4085 |
| 4 | 77 | Bob Jane T-Marts | Nick McBride (VIC) | 1:31.7801 | 00.5875 |
| 5 | 1 | Bonaire/Wilson Security | Craig Baird (VIC) | 1:31.8730 | 00.6804 |
| 6 | 12 | Laser Plumbing & Electrical | Steven Richards (VIC) | 1:31.9839 | 00.7913 |
| 7 | 88 | Davbridge Constructions | Shae Davies (QLD) | 1:32.1166 | 00.9240 |
| 8 | 26 | Copyworld | Michael Almond (SA) | 1:32.4430 | 01.2504 |
| 9 | 27 | Childhood Cancer Association | Sam Power (SA) | 1:32.5141 | 01.3215 |
| 10 | 45 | Alternative Freight/All Star | Duvashen Padayachee (NSW) | 1:32.5771 | 01.3845 |
| 11 | 24 | Alternative Freight/All Star | Tony Bates (VIC) | 1:33.5189 | 02.3263 |
| 12 | 56 | McGrath Estate Agents | Shane Smollen (NSW) | 1:33.5465 | 02.3539 |
| 13 | 5 | Objective Racing | Tony Walls (QLD) | 1:34.0911 | 02.8985 |
| 14 | 23 | JBS Australia | Roger Lago (QLD) | 1:34.1092 | 02.9166 |
| 15 | 11 | Royal Purple Oil/Garth Walden | Ash Samadi (NSW) | 1:34.2510 | 03.0584 |
| 16 | 4 | Grove Group | Stephen Grove (VIC) | 1:34.4405 | 03.2479 |
| 17 | 13 | Porsche Centre Brighton | James Bergmuller (VIC) | 1:34.7063 | 03.5137 |
| 18 | 39 | Veritas | Adrian Mastronardo (NSW) | 1:35.0362 | 03.8436 |
| 19 | 55 | Fujitsu Racing | Renee Gracie (QLD) | 1:35.1105 | 03.9179 |
| 20 | 38 | Taylor Motorsport/Adina Apartments | Greg Taylor (NSW) | 1:35.2195 | 04.0269 |
| 21 | 22 | V.I.P Homes Services | Brenton Ramsay (SA) | 1:35.7310 | 04.5384 |
| 22 | 10 | Finance EZI/Foxtel | Maurice Pickering (QLD) | 1:35.8625 | 04.6699 |
| 23 | 222 | Scott Taylor Motorsport | Scott Taylor (QLD) | 1:36.5910 | 05.3984 |
See below for Carrera Cup Practice 2
| Pos | Entrant | Driver | Time | Gap | |
| 1 | 29 | Onsite Rental Racing | Michael Patrizi (SA) | 1:31.0771 | |
| 2 | 7 | No Second Chance/Phase 8 | Warren Luff (QLD) | 1:31.1992 | 00.1221 |
| 3 | 77 | Bob Jane T-Marts | Nick McBride (VIC) | 1:31.2516 | 00.1745 |
| 4 | 777 | Bob Jane T-Marts | Nick Foster (VIC) | 1:31.3383 | 00.2612 |
| 5 | 12 | Laser Plumbing & Electrical | Steven Richards (VIC) | 1:32.2169 | 01.1398 |
| 6 | 88 | Davbridge Constructions | Shae Davies (QLD) | 1:32.3742 | 01.2971 |
| 7 | 45 | VIP Petfoods | Duvashen Padayachee NSW | 1:32.4610 | 01.3839 |
| 8 | 26 | Copyworld | Michael Almond (SA) | 1:32.5086 | 01.4315 |
| 9 | 56 | McGrath Estate Agents | Shane Smollen (NSW) | 1:33.1852 | 02.1081 |
| 10 | 23 | JBS Australia | Roger Lago (QLD) | 1:33.3714 | 02.2943 |
| 11 | 1 | Bonaire/Wilson Security | Craig Baird (VIC) | 1:33.4766 | 02.3995 |
| 12 | 4 | Grove Group | Stephen Grove (VIC) | 1:33.4831 | 02.4060 |
| 13 | 24 | Alternative Freight/All Star | Tony Bates (VIC) | 1:33.6876 | 02.6105 |
| 14 | 5 | Objective Racing | Tony Walls (QLD) | 1:33.7114 | 02.6343 |
| 15 | 13 | Porsche Centre Brighton | James Bergmuller (VIC) | 1:34.0829 | 03.0058 |
| 16 | 55 | Fujitsu Racing | Renee Gracie (QLD) | 1:34.1285 | 03.0514 |
| 17 | 22 | V.I.P Homes Services | Brenton Ramsay (SA) | 1:34.4843 | 03.4072 |
| 18 | 11 | Royal Purple Oil/Garth Walden | Ash Samadi (NSW) | 1:34.7856 | 03.7085 |
| 19 | 39 | Veritas | Adrian Mastronardo (NSW) | 1:35.0629 | 03.9858 |
| 20 | 222 | Scott Taylor Motorsport | Scott Taylor (QLD) | 1:35.1784 | 04.1013 |
| 21 | 10 | Finance EZI/Foxtel | Maurice Pickering (QLD) | 1:35.6293 | 04.5522 |
| 22 | 38 | Taylor Motorsport/Adina Apartm | Greg Taylor (NSW) | 1:38.7708 | 07.6937 |
| 23 | 27 | Childhood Cancer Association | Sam Power (SA) | 1:45.8080 | 14.7309 |
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