Red Bulls top Race 15 Townsville qualifying

Shane van Gisbergen edged team-mate Jamie Whincup for the fastest time ahead of the Top 10 Shootout for Race 15 in Townsville.

Following on from a one-two finish yesterday, the Red Bull duo were again the class of the field throughout the 20 minute session.

Whincup went to the top with a 1:12.72s just prior to halfway, leading Van Gisbergen, Will Davison and Craig Lowndes.

Van Gisbergen then went 0.067s quicker than his team-mate in their second green tyre runs, while a lock-up from Whincup ensured the Race 14 winner did not improve on his previous time.

“Jamie was in a class of his own yesterday,” noted Van Gisbergen post-session.

“We went a little bit towards their set-up and it paid off.”

Mark Winterbottom improved to third late in the going, bumping Davison and Lowndes down to fourth and fifth respectively.

While the front-runners saved their third set of tyres for the Shootout, Scott McLaughlin used all three in the session, leaping to sixth on his final run.

Chaz Mostert, David Reynolds, Scott Pye and Garth Tander complete the Shootout field.

Dale Wood had been on course to score a Shootout berth when the chequered flag fell before being bumped out by Pye.

The session included an awkward Turn 2 tangle between James Moffat and Jason Bright that left the Volvo driver to limp back to the pits with broken steering.

Failing to rejoin the track, Moffat will start seven places behind Bright in 21st.

The Team BOC Holden driver’s hopes of making the Shootout evaporated for good when he went down the Turn 3 escape road on his final lap.

A tangle between Tim Slade and rookie Kurt Kostecki is meanwhile set to be investigated post-session.

The Top 10 Shootout will take place from 1335 local time.

Result: Virgin Australia Supercars Championship Castrol Edge Townsville 400 Race 15 Qualifying