Mostert pips Percat in crucial Bathurst pre-qualifying hitout

The #25 Ford Mustang topped the timesheets with a 2:04.6591s to head the #10 Matt Stone Racing Chevrolet Camaro of Nick Percat.

They usurped Dick Johnson Racing’s Brodie Kostecki in the #38 Mustang, who stood atop the pile with five minutes to go before the late surge from Mostert and then Percat.

It’s a much-needed bounce back for Mostert after crashing in Friday’s first practice at Griffins Bend.

“Especially after the first couple of practices not feeling that confident with the car… Practice 1 was so confident that I ended up putting it in the fence, so I really needed that session,” said Mostert, who will share his car with Fabian Coulthard.

“A few sets of green tyres and Sam (Scafidi, race engineer) did a great job tuning that car up. At the start of the session we weren’t there, but by the end we definitely made a lot of improvements.

“I’m really proud of the resilience of the #25 side. They worked really hard that session. It’s not very often you’re at Bathurst feeling like you start a one-hour session struggling to coming out and having a competitive car. I’m very proud of the guys.

“Is there more in it? Hopefully it gets a bit cooler and the times keep getting faster, but I still hope they stay away from a 2:03, because I don’t want that pressure. I still want the lap record.”

James Golding was a surprise performer in fourth, despite slamming the outside wall at Griffins Bend in the #31 PremiAir Racing Camaro.

So violent was the hit that all four wheels rose into the air. He returned to the pits to replace a wheel, which was buckled in the hit.

Percat’s teammate Cameron Hill was fifth in the #4 Matt Stone Racing Camaro. The top 10 was rounded out by Cameron Waters, David Reynolds, Kai Allen, Broc Feeney, and Zach Bates.

Qualifying gets underway at 4:10pm AEDT, which will determine who advances to Saturday’s Top 10 Shootout and who starts from 11th to 27th.

Results: Repco Supercars Championship Repco Bathurst 1000, Practice 4