Van Gisbergen sets pace in Practice 2 at Townsville

Shane van Gisbergen has gone fastest in Practice 2 for the Repco Supercars Championship field at the NTI Townsville 500.

With the 40-minute hit-out being the last before tomorrow morning’s qualifying session, teams focused more on single-lap pace than they had done in Practice 1.

Red Bull Ampol Racing’s van Gisbergen clocked a 1:12.3819s in the final minute before the chequered flag, after which Shell V-Power Racing Team’s Will Davison slotted into second with a 1:12.5043s.

Tickford Racing drivers finished third and fourth, Cameron Waters (#6 Monster Energy Mustang) pipping Jack Le Brocq (#5 Truck Assist Mustang), with Nick Percat (#8 R&J Batteries ZB Commodore) rounding out the top five at only 0.1956s off the pace.

Tyres were a talking point throughout the session, with a relatively high level of degradation on the Reid Park Street Circuit apparent.

Will Brown (#9 Pedders ZB Commodore) had been fastest early on with a 1:13.0498s on the only flyer of his first run, 0.0237s quicker than Jamie Whincup (#88 Red Bull Ampol ZB Commodore).

Those times were the best until Chaz Mostert (#25 Mobil 1 Appliances Online ZB Commodore) jumped from 20th with a 1:12.9130s on his second run.

Anton De Pasquale (#11 Shell V-Power Mustang) then bowled out a 1:12.7559s, making him the first driver to beat David Reynolds’ Practice 1 benchmark of 1:12.7971s.

Van Gisbergen went on a relatively long, eight-lap first run (including in lap), before Triple Eight Race Engineering reportedly fitted new shocks and springs, as well as new tyres, on all four corners of the #97 ZB Commodore.

The championship leader jumped from 14th to the top with a 1:12.6954s as soon as he headed back out, before Waters laid down a 1:12.5167s just beyond the halfway mark, on his third run.

Brown split them with a 1:12.6354s with just over five minutes remaining, Erebus Motorsport appearing to send its drivers out relatively early for their final pushes.

Van Gisbergen moved back up two spots in setting the 1:12.3819s that would be fastest of all, before De Pasquale, Percat, and then Le Brocq nabbed third position in quick succession.

With the chequers flying, Davison jumped from 13th to second, while Whincup was an even later improver from 17th to sixth on a 1:12.5782s.

De Pasquale therefore ended up seventh at 0.2290s away from van Gisbergen, with Brown eighth, Reynolds (#26 Penrite Mustang) ninth, and Mostert 10th.

Van Gisbergen, who was ninth-fastest in Practice 1, remarked, “It didn’t feel that good but car is obviously good. It’s just trying to get some feelings that I know can be better.

“Obviously, everyone is struggling with some things; the track was super slippery this morning but it’s all good.

“We had a bad session one but these three-day weekends are really good; you can take your time and be thorough.

“We loaded Jamie’s set-up basically and straight away the car was much better.”

Qualifying for Race 15 of the season will take place tomorrow at 11:15 local time/AEST, with a Top 10 Shootout to follow at 13:05 local time/AEST.

Results: Practice 2