Mark Winterbottom has set the fastest time in a frantic end to Practice 2 for the MSS Security V8 Supercars Challenge at Albert Park.
The Orrcon Steel Falcon driver recorded a pair of 1:58.9s laps to move to the top of the sheets after 10 of the 30 minutes had been completed.
Winterbottom’s time stood until just two minutes remained, when team-mate Will Davison lowered the benchmark by a full 1.2s.
A 1:57.37s final lap was then enough to return Winterbottom to the top spot after the chequered flag fell.
Jamie Whincup put in a similarly late effort that saw the TeamVodafone driver jump from outside the top 10 to second, despite coming across a spun David Wall at the exit of Turn 16.
Davison ended up third, with Tim Slade and Jason Bright rounding out the top five.
Practice 2 was run on a dry track despite light rain hitting Albert Park following the first session this morning.
As was the case in Practice 1, several drivers went off while exploring the limits of the circuit.
Russell Ingall and Alexandre Premat were among those to taste the Turn 1 gravel, while Wall’s Turn 15 spin resulted in minor contact between the left-front corner of the Wilson Security Racing Holden and the inside wall.
The red flags flew breifly just five minutes of the session had been completed due to a tyre bundle having been dislodged at the apex of Turn 6.
A 30 minute qualifying session for the V8 Supercars will get underway at 1830 local time.
See below for the full Practice 2 result
| 1 | Orrcon Steel FPR Ford | Mark Winterbottom | Ford Falcon FG | 1:57.3518 | |
| 2 | TeamVodafone | Jamie Whincup | Holden Commodore VE2 | 1:57.5132 | 0:00.1614 |
| 3 | Trading Post FPR Ford | Will Davison | Ford Falcon FG | 1:57.7416 | 0:00.3898 |
| 4 | Lucky 7 Racing | Tim Slade | Ford Falcon FG | 1:57.9320 | 0:00.5802 |
| 5 | Team BOC | Jason Bright | Holden Commodore VE2 | 1:58.2410 | 0:00.8892 |
| 6 | Jack Daniel’s Racing | Rick Kelly | Holden Commodore VE2 | 1:58.4445 | 0:01.0927 |
| 7 | Jack Daniel’s Racing | Todd Kelly | Holden Commodore VE2 | 1:58.5350 | 0:01.1832 |
| 8 | The Bottle-O Racing Team | David Reynolds | Ford Falcon FG | 1:58.5500 | 0:01.1982 |
| 9 | Lockwood Racing | Fabian Coulthard | Holden Commodore VE2 | 1:58.6267 | 0:01.2749 |
| 10 | TeamVodafone | Craig Lowndes | Holden Commodore VE2 | 1:58.6850 | 0:01.3332 |
| 11 | Tekno Autosports | Michael Patrizi | Holden Commodore VE2 | 1:58.7132 | 0:01.3614 |
| 12 | Jim Beam Racing | Steven Johnson | Ford Falcon FG | 1:59.0070 | 0:01.6552 |
| 13 | Fair Dinkum Sheds Racing | Karl Reindler | Holden Commodore VE2 | 1:59.2333 | 0:01.8815 |
| 14 | V.I.P. Petfoods | Steve Owen | Ford Falcon FG | 1:59.2349 | 0:01.8831 |
| 15 | SP Tools Racing | Shane Van Gisbergen | Ford Falcon FG | 1:59.2736 | 0:01.9218 |
| 16 | Holden Racing Team | James Courtney | Holden Commodore VE2 | 1:59.2816 | 0:01.9298 |
| 17 | Irwin Racing | Lee Holdsworth | Ford Falcon FG | 1:59.2819 | 0:01.9301 |
| 18 | Supercheap Auto Racing | Russell Ingall | Holden Commodore VE2 | 1:59.3433 | 0:01.9915 |
| 19 | Holden Racing Team | Garth Tander | Holden Commodore VE2 | 1:59.3470 | 0:01.9952 |
| 20 | Tony D’Alberto Racing | Tony D’Alberto | Ford Falcon FG | 1:59.6308 | 0:02.2790 |
| 21 | Team iSelect | Taz Douglas | Holden Commodore VE2 | 1:59.6650 | 0:02.3132 |
| 22 | Fujitsu Racing GRM | Michael Caruso | Holden Commodore VE2 | 1:59.8193 | 0:02.4675 |
| 23 | Pepsi Max Crew | Greg Murphy | Holden Commodore VE2 | 1:59.8225 | 0:02.4707 |
| 24 | Jim Beam Racing | Dean Fiore | Ford Falcon FG | 1:59.8793 | 0:02.5275 |
| 25 | Team Norton DJR | James Moffat | Ford Falcon FG | 2:00.0385 | 0:02.6867 |
| 26 | Fujitsu Racing GRM | Alexandre Premat | Holden Commodore VE2 | 2:00.2643 | 0:02.9125 |
| 27 | Tekno Autosports | Jonathon Webb | Holden Commodore VE2 | 2:00.5011 | 0:03.1493 |
| 28 | Wilson Security Racing | David Wall | Holden Commodore VE2 | 2:00.6279 | 0:03.2761 |
See below for Speedcafe.com’s Australian Grand Prix Race Guide
