Randle well clear in opening Super2 practice

Thomas Randle has bested the Dunlop Super2 Series field by three quarters of a second in Practice 1 for Round 3 at Bathurst.

In a hit-out which was far slower than the corresponding session of just over 12 months ago, Randle set the pace with a 2:08.2166s after the chequered flag in his #16 MW Motorsport Altima.

The series leader was already six tenths up on his nearest rival for the title, Will Brown, when he fired in that effort having led since 10 minutes into the 40-minute session.

Brown’s best was a 2:08.9859s in the #999 Image Racing VF Commodore, while Jayden Ojeda was third-quickest with a 2:09.0197s in the #31 MWM Altima.

The early stages were a contest between Randle and Image team-mates Jordan Boys (#49 VF Commodore) and Brown (#999 VF Commodore).

All three enjoyed spells at the top of the timing screen, while Boys caught a loose moment at The Esses, before Randle pulled clear with a 2:09.3205s in the #16 Altima.

Broc Feeney was on a fast first sector when he got loose at Skyline and had to straight-line The Esses, but moved up to second spot with a 2:10.8448s around halfway through the session.

A red flag followed shortly after in order to retrieve the Masterton Motorsports VE Commodore of Super3 driver James Masterton, who spun into the wall at Reid Park.

At that point, Randle held sway from Feeney, Ojeda, Boys, and Brown, with Jon McCorkindale (#69 Mac Motorsport FG Falcon) best of the Super3 class in 11th outright on a 2:14.3371s.

The field was let loose again with a bit over a dozen minutes remaining, after which Randle improved four more times.

Brown was shuffled down to seventh at one point before clocking a 2:09.0937s and the 2:08.9859s on consecutive laps.

Those efforts had bumped Ojeda from second back to third, a position he consolidated with a 2:09.0197s just before the chequers.

Feeney got down to a 2:09.6363s to put the #5 Tickford Racing FGX Falcon fourth on the timesheet, ahead of Boys, Josh Fife (#14 Brad Jones Racing VF Commodore), Zak Best (#78 MWM Altima), Angelo Mouzouris (#10 Triple Eight Race Engineering VF Commodore), Zane Morse (#11 Zane Morse VF Commodore), and Super2 debutant Matt McLean (#17 Matt Chahda Motorsport FGX Falcon).

In 11th was McCorkindale on a 2:12.5629s, followed by fellow Super3 driver Declan Fraser, who set a 2:13.2976s in the #777 Anderson Motorsport FG Falcon.

Super3’s opening round winner, Jaylyn Robotham, was another spot further back both in class and outright having notched up a personal best 2:15.0202s in MWM’s #28 FG Falcon.

Practice 2, another 40-minute session, starts at 15:50 local time/AEDT.

Results: Practice 1