Rullo fastest in mixed up Super2 practice session

Alex Rullo has clocked the fastest lap of the day in the Dunlop Super2 Series at Barbagallo after a second practice session significantly affected by tyre choice.

Rullo, in the #62 MW Motorsport Nissan Altima, finished the 40-minute session a quarter of a second faster than Shae Davies (#67 Paul Morris Motorsport FGX Falcon) and marginally faster again than Bryce Fullwood (#16 Matt Stone Racing FGX Falcon).

Reuse of Practice 1 tyres was the popular choice at the start of the session, with rubber already well-worn by the abrasive surface contributing to offs for several drivers.

Paul Dumbrell (#88 Eggleston Motorsport VF Commodore) led initially but chose to not go for a newer set of tyres and was bundled back to 17th by the end of the piece having lapped 1.1s slower than the benchmark which he set in Practice 1.

Macauley Jones (#14 Brad Jones Racing VF Commodore) briefly held top spot before Matt Chahda (#18 Matt Chahda Motorsport VF Commodore) moved on to a set of tyres saved from the last round at Symmons Plains and went quicker again, twice in the space of three laps.

Dominic Storey took over first position not long before halfway in the #63 Eggleston Motorsport VF Commodore.

It was Thomas Randle on greens, however, who was first to come close to Dumbrell’s Practice 1 time and then beat it on his next lap as he was the first into the 57-second bracket in the #5 Tickford Racing FGX Falcon.

He was usurped by Davies 10 minutes later before Rullo set was ultimately the fastest lap, a 0:57.4470s, in the 34th minute.

Davies remained second while Fullwood improved late on to take up third position from Randle and Adam Marjoram.

Marjoram had the wildest moment of the session when he hit the Turn 2 ripple strip at an awkward angle and fired off through the weeds, launching the #15 Image Racing VF Commodore.

Mason Barbera (#99 Garry Rogers Motorsport VF Commodore), Zane Goddard (#8 Brad Jones Racing VF Commodore), Jack Smith (#21 Brad Jones Racing VF Commodore), Storey, and Chahda rounded out the top 10.

Round 2 winner Chris Pither (#44 Garry Rogers Motorsport VF Commodore) was 14th, 2016 series winner Garry Jacobson (#26 MW Motorsport Nissan Altima) 16th, and Will Brown (#38 Eggleston Motorsport VF Commodore) 20th.

A pair of 10-minute Armor All Qualifying sessions which set the grid for Races 1 and 2 respectively take place tomorrow from 1115 local time/1315 AEST.

Results: Practice 2

Combined: Practice 1 and Practice 2