Chris Pither claimed pole position for the first of two Dunlop Series races as the series celebrates its 100th round at Barbagallo Raceway this weekend.
The Ice Break Ford Falcon driver surged to the top of the time sheets in the dying minutes of the session with an impressive 57.2102s effort.
Reigning champion Paul Dumbrell topped the majority of the second part of qualifying before Jack Le Brocq and then Pither usurped the Red Bull Racing V8 Supercars co-driver.
Pither set the pace in practice on Friday despite being forced to sit out the opening session due to an electrical fault on his car.
“I’m over the moon we had a tough start to weekend so hopefully this is the start of a good season,” said Pither.
Prodrive Racing Australia’s Cameron Waters will start on the front row having trailed Pither by just 0.0542s.
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Erebus Motorsport co-driver Le Brocq will head row two in third spot with Dumbrell fourth in the Eggleston Motorsport Holden Commodore, just three tenths adrift of the pace.
Andrew Jones was fifth fastest ahead of Super Black Racing’s Simon Evans and Aaren Russell, who topped the first part of qualifying.
Rising star Todd Hazelwood, veteran Paul Morris and former V8 Utes racer Jesse Dixon completed the top 10.
Result: Dunlop Series Qualifying
| Position | Team | Driver | Car | Time | Gap |
| 1 | Ice Break Racing | Chris Pither | Ford Falcon FG | 0:57.2102 | |
| 2 | TEAM ENZED PRA | Cameron Waters | Ford Falcon FG | 0:57.2644 | 00.0542 |
| 3 | MW Motorsport | Jack Le Brocq | Ford Falcon FG | 0:57.3835 | 00.1733 |
| 4 | Eggleston Motorsport | Paul Dumbrell | Holden Commodore VE2 | 0:57.6045 | 00.3943 |
| 5 | Wilson Medic One / NBS | Andrew Jones | Holden Commodore VE2 | 0:57.6429 | 00.4327 |
| 6 | Super Black Racing | Simon Evans | Ford Falcon FG | 0:57.6432 | 00.4330 |
| 7 | Plus Fitness / Go Karts Go | Aaren Russell | Ford Falcon FG | 0:57.6668 | 00.4566 |
| 8 | iseek Racing | Todd Hazelwood | Ford Falcon FG | 0:57.7334 | 00.5232 |
| 9 | United Racing | Paul Morris | Ford Falcon FG | 0:57.7679 | 00.5577 |
| 10 | Hayman Reese Racing | Jesse Dixon | Ford Falcon FG | 0:57.9745 | 00.7643 |
| 11 | THR Developments/SA Racing | Taz Douglas | Holden Commodore VE2 | 0:58.0102 | 00.8000 |
| 12 | Alphabet / Bursons Auto Parts | Josh Kean | Holden Commodore VE2 | 0:58.1265 | 00.9163 |
| 13 | Eggleston Motorsport | Garry Jacobson | Holden Commodore VE2 | 0:58.2715 | 01.0613 |
| 14 | Davbridge Constructions | Shae Davies | Ford Falcon FG | 0:58.3018 | 01.0916 |
| 15 | Gippsland Body Building GRM | James Golding | Holden Commodore VE2 | 0:58.3286 | 01.1184 |
| 16 | PAYCE | Macauley Jones | Holden Commodore VE2 | 0:58.4193 | 01.2091 |
| 17 | Eggleston Motorsport | Ant Pedersen | Holden Commodore VE2 | 0:58.8918 | 01.6816 |
| 18 | Arcoplate / Penrite | Kurt Kostecki | Holden Commodore VE2 | 0:58.8953 | 01.6851 |
| 19 | Street Fighter Performance Upg | Dan Day | Ford Falcon FG | 0:58.9321 | 01.7219 |
| 20 | Matt Hansen Racing | Matt Hansen | Holden Commodore VE2 | 0:59.0050 | 01.7948 |
| 21 | Middys Electrical | Bryce Fullwood | Holden Commodore VE | 0:59.1261 | 01.9159 |
| 22 | Fujitsu Racing | Renee Gracie | Ford Falcon FG | 0:59.1645 | 01.9543 |
| 23 | Challenger / Simplex | Brett Hobson | Holden Commodore VE2 | 0:59.3075 | 02.0973 |
| 24 | THR Developments/SA Racing | Jason Leoncini | Holden Commodore VE2 | 0:59.3439 | 02.1337 |
| 25 | Battery World Racing | Aaron McGill | Holden Commodore VE2 | 0:59.4678 | 02.2576 |
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