TeamVodafone asserts its authority prior to qualifying

TeamVodafone duo Jamie Whincup and Craig Lowndes have asserted their authority over the field in the final practice session prior to qualifying for the Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000.

Whincup completed a single lap on new tyres in the closing stages of the 50 minute session, jumping from outside the top 20 to the top spot by clocking a 2:07.50s.

Lowndes was 0.58s adrift after his similarly late effort, leaving Whincup as the only driver able to break into the 2:07s on the sun-bathed circuit.

Will Davison was the best of the rest in his Trading Post FPR entry, a full 0.73s slower than Whincup.

Steve Owen, James Courtney, Fabian Coulthard, Michael Caruso, Mark Winterbottom, Jason Bright and Shane van Gisbergen filled fourth through 10th.

The session was interrupted by two red flag periods.

The first was called for Tony D’Alberto’s Falcon, which became momentarily stranded at the top of the Mountain after a graze with the wall at Sulman Park damaged his right-front tyre, pitching him through the gravel at McPhillamy.

Tim Slade caused the second red flag a short time after the restart by parking his Lucky 7 Falcon against the tyre barriers in the Murray’s Corner gravel. The Stone Brothers Racing prepared entry returned to the track in the final 10 minutes after repairs to its right-front corner.

Jack Perkins was the only co-driver to turn laps in the session, briefly heading the order before handing over the #33 Fujitsu Holden to Alexandre Premat.

Coulthard, Bright, Winterbottom, Van Gisbergen, Lowndes, Courtney and Davison also had fleeting moments at the top of the time sheets as the 50 minutes unfolded.

The 40 minute qualifying session is scheduled to commence at 1445 local time.

See below for the full Practice 5 result

See below for Speedcafe.com’s Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000 Race Guide.