Shane van Gisbergen has stormed to the fastest lap in Practice 2 at the Beaurepaires Sydney SuperNight despite a recurrence of handling niggles for the Red Bull Ampol Racing driver.
As was the case in Practice 1 at Sydney Motorsport Park, van Gisbergen headed up an all-Camaro top four, but with his final flyer of 1:29.9131s fastest of all by a margin of 0.1955s.
Brad Jones Racing’s Andre Heimgartner took second in the #8 R&J Batteries Camaro, from Erebus Motorsport’s Brodie Kostecki (#99 Coca-Cola Camaro) and Matt Stone Racing’s Jack Le Brocq (#34 Truck Assist Camaro).
Best of the Ford contingent was Tickford Racing’s Cameron Waters on a 1:30.4768s in the #6 Monster Energy Mustang.
Once again, the skies were grey over Eastern Creek as the field rolled out for another half-hour of practice, but this time there were spits of rain about.
Most opted for a single-lap first run, from which Kostecki extracted a 1:30.6767s to be fastest initially, ahead of team-mate Will Brown (#9 Coca-Cola Camaro) on a 1:30.7358s and Heimgartner on a 1:30.8087s.
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Waters put a Ford on top when he clocked a 1:30.6513s during his second run, before Anton De Pasquale (#11 Shell V-Power Mustang) went fourth on a 1:30.7544s.
Meanwhile, Broc Feeney hopped out of the #88 Red Bull Ampol Camaro, which reportedly would not start after being pushed back out of the Triple Eight Race Engineering garage.
Team 18’s Mark Winterbottom (#18 DeWalt Camaro) achieved a 1:30.5025s which would be the benchmark once the second runs were done, from Bryce Fullwood (#14 Middy’s Camaro) on a 1:30.5974s and then Waters.
No one had yet topped van Gisbergen’s 1:30.4941s from Practice 1 until the man himself smashed it with a 1:30.0832s as Practice 2 moved into its final 10 minutes.
He achieved the feat despite signs that the patchy rain had not gone away, and what he reported to be yet another handling imbalance in the #97 Camaro entry, which is in fact a different chassis this weekend.
Most, if not all, took green tyres for their final runs, with Le Brocq improving to second on a 1:30.4540s just before the chequered flag.
Kostecki then dislodged him with a 1:30.1934s, before Waters set his 1:30.4768s to get back as high as fourth.
Van Gisbergen had run wide of track limits at Brock’s 05 at the start of his final run, meaning the lap was cancelled, but still had enough in him to clock the 1:29.9131s next time through, after which Heimgartner moved up seven positions on a 1:30.1086s.
Sixth onwards was Winterbottom from Fullwood, Brown, and Will Davison, the latter of whom set a 1:30.6625s after losing virtually all of Practice 1 due to a steering rack problem for the #17 Shell V-Power Mustang.
Chaz Mostert rounded out the top 10 on a 1:30.6863s in the #25 Mobil 1 Optus Mustang, with De Pasquale 11th in Car #11 and Feeney classified 25th on a 1:32.4224s after notching up just two laps.
Qualifying for Race 18, a three-part knockout session, starts at 16:45 local time/AEST.
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