Van Gisbergen pips Reynolds in Supercars Practice 2 at Winton

Shane van Gisbergen has pipped David Reynolds to top spot in a record-breaking second Repco Supercars Championship practice session at the Pizza Hut Winton SuperSprint.

Both went under Scott McLaughlin’s three-year-old practice record at Winton, when Supercars last raced at the rural Victorian circuit and on a different tyre compound, with Chaz Mostert just outside that marker in a top three covered by less than a tenth of a second.

Van Gisbergen’s fastest lap in the #97 Red Bull Ampol ZB Commodore was a 1:18.4468s which he set with the chequered flag out, putting him 0.0080s faster than Reynolds and 0.0856s up on Mostert in the #25 Mobil 1 Optus ZB Commodore.

Practice 1 fast man Will Brown (#9 Boost Mobile ZB Commodore) was fastest after the first flyers on a 1:18.8298s, before Cameron Waters (#6 Monster Energy Mustang) went to the top during the second runs on a 1:18.7191s.

However, as drivers began to move onto new super soft tyres, Lee Holdsworth (#10 Mustang) clocked a 1:18.6526s and then Penrite Racing team-mate Reynolds reset the practice/qualifying lap record to a 1:18.4548s.

Before the final runs, Mostert had moved to third on a 1:18.6979s, leaving Waters fourth and van Gisbergen, who had not used green tyres in Practice 1, fifth on a 1:18.7388s.

Mostert crept up with a 1:18.5324s on his final run, before the chequered flag came and van Gisbergen fired in the fastest Supercars lap ever at Winton.

Beyond the top three ended up Holdsworth in fourth, from Anton De Pasquale (#11 Shell V-Power Mustang) at 0.2126s off the pace, then Waters, Broc Feeney (#88 Red Bull Ampol ZB Commodore), Brown, Scott Pye (#20 Nulon ZB Commodore), and Will Davison (#17 Shell V-Power Mustang).

Nick Percat (#2 Mobil 1 NTI ZB Commodore) ended up 25th, one position up on Walkinshaw Andretti United team-mate Jayden Ojeda (#27 Mobil 1 East Coast Lubes ZB Commodore) in the squad’s wildcard entry.

There was an awkward moment at the start of the session when James Courtney (#5 Snowy River Caravans Mustang) attempted to pass both of the Dick Johnson Racing Mustangs on the out lap.

Onboard footage from Courtney’s car suggested contact with De Pasquale at the Sweeper (Turn 5), where he had to mount the inside kerb.

The 2010 champion ultimately set a 1:19.0378s which left him 11th on the timesheet at the end of the 30-minute hit-out, during which track temperature was up around 10 degrees Celsius on Practice 1.

Qualifying for Race 13 of the season, a three-part knockout session, starts at 13:05 local time/AEST.

Results: Practice 2