Pic: Max Twigg Facebook
Max Twigg has snared the Australian GT Championship race two pole position in the #8 Australian Engineered Flooring Mercedes-AMG GT3 with a 1:56.7861s lap.
Second fastest was Roger Lago (#23 JBS Australia Lamborghini R-EX – 1:56.8136s), ahead of Geoff Emery (#74 Valvoline Jamec Pem Racing Audi R8 – the polesitting car for race one – 1:56:9828s). Tony Bates (#24 Moveitnet/AFS Mercedes AMG GT3) and Peter Major (#14 PM Motorsport Lamborghini R-EX) completed the top five.
Rounding out the top ten were Fraser Ross (#59 Tekno Autosports McLaren 650s), Liam Talbot (#911 MEGA Racing Porsche 911 GT3-R), James Koundouris (#44 Supabarn Supermarkets Audi R8 LMS), Ash Samadi (#3 Ah Apartments Audi R8 LMS) and Nick Kelly (#199 Industrie Clothing Audi R8 Ultra).
Twigg took the top spot from Talbot in the opening laps before the pair went on to swap the position back and forth – Twigg would eventually win out in this battle to lead the sheets by the end of his fourth rotation of the Australian Grand Prix circuit, but not for long.
Lago and Emery moved quickly to see him fall to P3 for a number of laps, with Lago holding the top spot until with just four and a half minutes to go. At this point, Twigg was able to regain P1 and from there was never headed – despite taking his Mercedes for a spin on the very next lap at the exit of turn five. Luckily for him, he was able to avoid any contact with the walls.
Not so lucky when it came to avoiding disaster was Tony Bates, who while fourth fastest saw the session declared with one minute and 24 seconds still on the clock when he became beached at turn three.
Also coming to strife across the 20 minute stanza were Michael O’Donnell who ran through the gravel at turn one early on but was able to re-join, and Talbot – who amongst battles for the top position had a few nervous laps that saw him twitch at turn 11 and shortcutting turn 12, before locking a brake and running off at turn one soon after – driving through the gravel trap to resume.
Race one for the Australian GT Championship at the Australian Grand Prix will be held this afternoon at 1540 local time.
Results: Qualifying two, Australian GT Championship – Australian Grand Prix, 23 March 2017
| 1 | Australian Engineered Flooring | Max Twigg (VIC) | Mercedes AMG GT-S | 1:56.78 |
| 2 | JBS Australia | Roger Lago (QLD) | Lamborghini R-EX | 1:56.81 |
| 3 | Valvoline | Geoff Emery | Audi R8 LMS | 1:56.98 |
| 4 | Moveitnet/AFS | Tony Bates | Mercedes AMG GT-S | 1:56.98 |
| 5 | PM Motorsport | Peter Major (WA) | Lamborghini R-EX | 1:57.54 |
| 6 | Tekno | Fraser Ross (VIC) | McLaren 650S GT3 | 1:57.62 |
| 7 | MEGA Racing | Liam Talbot (QLD) | Porsche 911 GT3-R | 1:57.74 |
| 8 | Supabarn Supermarkets | James Koundouris (ACT) | Audi R8 LMS | 1:58.12 |
| 9 | Team ASR | Ash Samadi (VIC) | Audi R8 LMS | 1:58.58 |
| 10 | Industrie Clothing | Nick Kelly (NSW) | Audi R8 LMS Ultra | 1:58.90 |
| 11 | Scott Taylor Motorsport | Scott Taylor (QLD) | Mercedes AMG GT-S | 1:59.16 |
| 12 | Objective Racing | Tony Walls (NSW) | McLaren 650S GT3 | 1:59.23 |
| 13 | Valvoline | Tim Miles (NSW) | Audi R8 LMS | 1:59.45 |
| 14 | Interlloy M Motorsport | Yasser Shahin (SA) | Lamborghini R-EX | 1:59.69 |
| 15 | Pirelli/Trofeo Motorsport | Ryan Millier | Lamborghini Huracan | 1:59.99 |
| 16 | Hallmarc Constructions | Marc Cini (VIC) | Audi R8 LMS | 2:00.10 |
| 17 | Darrell Lea | Tony Quinn (QLD) | McLaren 650S GT3 | 2:00.18 |
| 18 | Maranello Motorsport | Peter Edwards (VIC) | Ferrari 488 GT3 | 2:00.21 |
| 19 | BMW Team SRM | James Bergmuller | BMW M6 GT3 | 2:00.24 |
| 20 | DJS Racing | Danny Stutterd (VIC) | BMW M6 GT3 | 2:00.80 |
| 21 | Rosso Verde Racing | Hector Lester (UK) | Ferrari 458 GT3 | 2:00.85 |
| 22 | HHH Triffid Racing | Michael Hovey (QLD) | Lamborghini R-EX | 2:01.13 |
| 23 | Hogs Breath Cafe/Griffith Corp | Mark Griffith (Qld) | Mercedes AMG GT-S | 2:01.57 |
| 24 | Timken Zagame Motorsport | Adrian Deitz (NSW) | Lamborghini Huracan | 2:01.69 |
| 25 | AMAC Motorsport | Andrew Macpherson (NSW) | Lamborghini Huracan | 2:02.96 |
| 26 | Fire Rating Solutions | Matthew Turnbull (VIC) | Lamborghini LP-560 | 2:03.46 |
| 27 | Mack Roofing Products | Wayne Mack (VIC) | Ferrari 458 GT3 | 2:03.83 |
| 28 | Shoal/Thomson Geer Lawyers | Michael O’Donnell (SA) | Porsche GT3 Cup | 2:06.08 |
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