Feeney on pole as ‘car park’ chaos strikes Melbourne Supercars

The first five rows were dominated by the Blue Oval, with seven of the top 10 places occupied by Ford Mustangs.

Chaz Mostert was the best Toyota Supra in fourth for Walkinshaw TWG Racing while Matt Stone Racing’s Jack Le Brocq was the best Chevrolet Camaro in ninth.

There was drama at the start of the session for Mostert’s teammate Ryan Wood, whose #2 Walkinshaw Supra wouldn’t get out of first gear.

The team remedied the issue in part, allowing Wood to use second gear through to sixth gear.

Wood was sent out with a few minutes left on the clock, and what followed were wild scenes.

Entering the final sector, Wood came upon a throng of cars at a snail’s pace and was forced to abandon his lap.

Worse still, some those cars that trundled through the final three turns failed to make it to the start-finish line to begin their final flying lap as they jockeyed over track position.

In the end, Wood qualified last without a representative time to his name.

The incident left several irate, including Wood’s mentor Greg Murphy who let out an expletive.

“I’m not really sure why all those cars were dawdling around. They’re never going to make the line,” said Murphy.

“It doesn’t really make a lot of sense to me what those guys were being told.

“Clearly, Woody was on a lap, his only lap, after the issue.

“Turns up at [Turn] 11 or 12 and there is every Tom, Dick, and Harry just flogging around wasting their time and wasting everybody else’s time.

“I don’t know. It’s a bit strange.”

Supercars championship turned Fox Sports commentator James Courtney said it was a simple communication breakdown between the teams and drivers.

“It’s communication from the teams, like Murph touched on,” said Courtney.

“He’s coming through hot. Half of these guys aren’t even going to make the line, so I don’t know what they’re doing.

“It’s so frustrating as a driver, coming to this point and it just being a car park in front of you.

“The teams are sending the cars out too late to start the lap. The guys are driving so slowly on that out-lap to try and save the tyre for the qualifying lap. It just causes so much congestion.

“Everyone is then trying to fight for a gap at the end of the lap and you end up with this, the car park. It’s such a big issue and it continues to happen.

“The teams back themselves into that position. They do it to themselves.”

PremiAir Racing team principal Roland Dane also expressed his displeasure, and was seen in a lengthy conversation with Supercars head of motorsport Tim Edwards.

Results: Repco Supercars Championship Melbourne SuperSprint, Qualifying (Race 3)