Steven Richards has led the way for Ford Performance Racing in the first co-driver only practice session at the Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000.
The two-time race winner’s fastest time of 2:27.90s came after 20 of the 45 minutes had elapsed.
Intermittent showers tormented the drivers during Practice 2, and ensured Richards’ time would not be beaten.
David Besnard ended the session 0.44s adrift in second, while David Russell was third, ahead of Mark Skaife and Greg Ritter.
Russell – the only driver in the top five to have also completed laps in Practice 1 – had set the early Practice 2 pace in the Jack Daniel’s Racing Commodore, stopping the clocks at 2:30.89s and 2:28.76s on his opening two flyers.
Besnard’s 2:28.33s saw the Jim Beam Racing Falcon fastest as it headed for the pitlane after 15 minutes, before Richards went faster as a shower approached.
Paul Morris, David Brabham, Richard Lyons, Luke Youlden and Andrew Jones rounded out the top 10, while Andrew Thompson was 16th – 2.6s off the pace – in Jamie Whincup’s TeamVodafone Commodore.
See below for the full session result
| 1 | Orrcon Steel FPR Falcon | Steven Richards | Ford Falcon FG | 2:27.8960 | |
| 2 | Jim Beam Racing | David Besnard | Ford Falcon FG | 2:28.3392 | 0:00.4432 |
| 3 | Jack Daniel’s Racing | David Russell | Holden Commodore VE2 | 2:28.6377 | 0:00.7417 |
| 4 | TeamVodafone | Mark Skaife | Holden Commodore VE2 | 2:28.7008 | 0:00.8048 |
| 5 | Fujitsu Racing GRM | Greg Ritter | Holden Commodore VE2 | 2:28.7720 | 0:00.8760 |
| 6 | VIP Petfoods | Paul Morris | Holden Commodore VE2 | 2:29.0174 | 0:01.1214 |
| 7 | Irwin Racing | David Brabham | Ford Falcon FG | 2:29.4426 | 0:01.5466 |
| 8 | Mother Energy Racing Team | Richard Lyons | Ford Falcon FG | 2:29.5518 | 0:01.6558 |
| 9 | Trading Post FPR Falcon | Luke Youlden | Ford Falcon FG | 2:29.7686 | 0:01.8726 |
| 10 | Team Boc | Andrew Jones | Holden Commodore VE2 | 2:29.7862 | 0:01.8902 |
| 11 | Pepsi Max Crew | Allan Simonsen | Holden Commodore VE2 | 2:29.9801 | 0:02.0841 |
| 12 | The Bottle-O Racing Team | Dean Canto | Ford Falcon FG | 2:30.1762 | 0:02.2802 |
| 13 | Jack Daniel’s Racing | Owen Kelly | Holden Commodore VE2 | 2:30.2985 | 0:02.4025 |
| 14 | Wilson Security Team McGrath | Dale Wood | Ford Falcon FG | 2:30.3901 | 0:02.4941 |
| 15 | Fair Dinkum Sheds Racing | David Wall | Holden Commodore VE2 | 2:30.4655 | 0:02.5695 |
| 16 | TeamVodafone | Andrew Thompson | Holden Commodore VE2 | 2:30.5038 | 0:02.6078 |
| 17 | Toll Holden Racing Team | Nick Percat | Holden Commodore VE2 | 2:30.5748 | 0:02.6788 |
| 18 | Toll Holden Racing Team | Cameron McConville | Holden Commodore VE2 | 2:30.6332 | 0:02.7372 |
| 19 | Supercheap Auto Racing | Jack Perkins | Holden Commodore VE2 | 2:30.8558 | 0:02.9598 |
| 20 | Triple F Racing | Michael Patrizi | Ford Falcon FG | 2:30.8874 | 0:02.9914 |
| 21 | SP Tools Racing | John McIntyre | Ford Falcon FG | 2:30.9213 | 0:03.0253 |
| 22 | Stratco Racing | Tim Blanchard | Holden Commodore VE2 | 2:30.9445 | 0:03.0485 |
| 23 | Bundaberg Racing | Craig Baird | Holden Commodore VE2 | 2:31.6165 | 0:03.7205 |
| 24 | Jana Living Racing | Shane Price | Holden Commodore VE2 | 2:32.2000 | 0:04.3040 |
| 25 | Jim Beam Racing | Matthew Halliday | Ford Falcon FG | 2:32.5236 | 0:04.6276 |
| 26 | Lucky 7 Racing | Daniel Gaunt | Ford Falcon FG | 2:33.8575 | 0:05.9615 |
| 27 | Fujitsu Racing GRM | Marcus Marshall | Holden Commodore VE2 | 2:34.2793 | 0:06.3833 |
| 28 | Gulf Western Oil Racing | Nathan Pretty | Holden Commodore VE2 | 2:35.1732 | 0:07.2772 |
| 29 | Shannons Mars Racing | Cameron Waters | Holden Commodore VE2 | 2:35.7144 | 0:07.8184 |
See below for Speedcafe.com’s Bathurst Race Guide
