Van Gisbergen claims provisional pole for Race 2

Shane van Gisbergen has claimed provisional pole position for Race 2 at the Repco Mount Panorama 500.

Van Gisbergen always looked like making the Top 10 Shootout which follows this afternoon but Red Bull Ampol Racing team-mate Jamie Whincup only just snuck back in, in eighth spot, at the end of Qualifying for Race 2 of the 2021 Supercars Championship.

Chaz Mostert was second-quickest for Walkinshaw Andretti United in the 20-minute session, from Tickford Racing’s Cameron Waters and the Shell V-Power Racing Team entries of Anton De Pasquale and Will Davison.

Waters (#6 Monster Energy Mustang) put in an impressive banker when he set a 2:05.5306s straight up, but it was an off-sequence van Gisbergen (#97 ZB Commodore) who was quickest after the first runs proper with a 2:05.1836s on his second push lap.

Mostert (#25 Mobil 1 Appliances Online ZB Commodore) was next-best before the second runs with a 2:05.3288s, from Waters and Mark Winterbottom’s 2:05.7355s (#18 Irwin Tools ZB Commodore).

De Pasquale was briefly quickest when he ventured onto the circuit again and clocked a 2:05.0018s in the #100 Mustang, but Waters was soon into the ‘fours’ when he pulled out a 2:04.7081s.

With the final runs to come, the order was therefore Waters, De Pasquale, van Gisbergen, Mostert, and Davison (#17 Mustang), with Whincup (#88 ZB Commodore) 14th.

Mostert fired in a 2:04.6629s just before the chequered flag, after which van Gisbergen, who took out Race 1, came through with the 2:04.5769s which would not be beaten.

“The shootout’s going to be so important; you’ve got to get out front [in the race],” remarked van Gisbergen after the session.

Waters improved his time but not his position in setting a 2:04.6754s, while De Pasquale and then Davison made for a top five covered by only 0.2722s.

Having only got to ninth-fastest on his penultimate lap, Whincup was in trouble as Nick Percat (#8 R&J Batteries ZB Commodore), Andre Heimgartner (#7 Ned Mustang), and Scott Pye (#20 DeWalt ZB Commodore) put in personal best sectors.

Percat could not quite make the top 10 but Heimgartner pinched ninth from Whincup, then Pye jumped seven spots to 10th.

That left Whincup out of the next session before he rescued a berth in the one-lap dash with a 2:05.3143s well after the chequered flag.

Sixth through 10th was therefore Winterbottom, James Courtney (#44 Boost Mobile Mustang), Whincup, and Kelly Grove Racing team-mates David Reynolds (#26 Penrite Mustang) and Heimgartner.

Pye was first on the outside, from Bryce Fullwood (#2 Mobil 1 Middy’s ZB Commodore) Jack Le Brocq (#5 Truck Assist Mustang), Percat, and Brodie Kostecki (#99 Erebus Boost Mobile ZB Commodore).

The Top 10 Shootout is due to kick off at 12:10 local time/AEDT.

Results: Qualifying for Race 2, Repco Mount Panorama 500