Walkinshaw Andretti United’s Ryan Wood has qualified fastest for Race 1 of the Dunlop Super 2/3 series at the VAILO Adelaide 500. In what would be the closest session of the year, 20 cars, including three Super 3s, are covered by less than a second.

Wood posted a best time of 1:20.1648 in his Holden Commodore ZB which was 0.12s faster than a late charge from fellow Commodore steerer Nash Morris.

Any chance of anyone topping the pair in the last two and a half minutes was negated when Brad Vaughan crashed his Tickford Racing Ford Mustang at Turn 8.

Prior to the last opportunity, Zak Best (Anderson Motorsport Mustang) was at the top of timing and he will start third on the grid, inside Eggleston Motorsport’s Cooper Murray (Commodore) who was fastest on a couple of occasions.

Wood’s teammate Zach Bates was fifth quickest in front of Holden drivers Kai Allen (EMS) and Aaron Seton (Jason Gomersal Racing), Vaughan, EMS’ Cameron Crick, Aaron Cameron (Mustang) and Holdens piloted by Jay Hanson and Lochie Dalton.

After leading the way in the wet practice a day earlier, Aaron Love (Mustang) finished qualifying in 13th ahead of Holden drivers Jordyn Sinni and Jordan Boys and the three Super 3 front runners.

There was less than a tenth and a half covering the top three out of the Super 3 portion of qualifying. Image Racing’s Jobe Stewart, Brad Neil Motorsport’s Cameron McLeod and Kelly Racing’s Mason Kelly each headed the times a various stages of the session.

Ultimately it was Stewart with his time of 1:20.8479 in the Image Racing Holden Commodore VF who was the fastest, by 0.08s ahead of McLeod (Nissan Altima). Just 0.06s further away was Kelly. Fourth of the five was Rylan Gray in his first Super 3 round aboard the Tickford Racing Ford Falcon FG/X, ahead of Jett Johnson (NAPA Auto Parts Racing Altima).