Mark Winterbottom has taken pole for Race 22 of the V8 Supercars Championship Series at Symmons Plains Raceway.
Held in wet conditions, Winterbottom steered his #5 Orrcon Steel Ford Performance Racing Falcon to the top spot, setting a time of 59.4007s.
While it was joy for Winterbottom, V8’s championship leader would not be feeling the same love. James Courtney will start this afternoon’s race from 21st place, while his closest title rival Jamie Whincup will start 10th.
Alonside Winterbottom on the front-row is Jason Bright in the Trading Post Racing Commodore VE, followed by yesterday’s winner Craig Lowndes (TeamVodafone) and Jason Richards (Team BOC).
Russell Ingall (Supercheap Auto Racing) turned in his best qualifying performance of the season for fifth ahead of the Jack Daniel’s Racing pair of Rick Kelly and Todd Kelly.
Toll HRT’s Will Davison improved from a woeful day yesterday to take eighth spot from Jason Bargwanna (Rock Racing) and Whincup.
Michael Caruso (Fujitsu/GRM) failed to set a time when he speared off the track and was bogged. The red flag his caused forced him out of the session.
Race 22 will start at 3.05pm.
| 1 | 5 | Mark Winterbottom | Ford Falcon FG | 0:59.4007* |
| 2 | 14 | Jason Bright | Holden Commodore VE | 0:59.4136 |
| 3 | 888 | Craig Lowndes | Holden Commodore VE | 0:59.6919 |
| 4 | 8 | Jason Richards | Holden Commodore VE | 0:59.7404 |
| 5 | 39 | Russell Ingall | Holden Commodore VE | 0:59.7786 |
| 6 | 15 | Rick Kelly | Holden Commodore VE | 0:59.7898 |
| 7 | 7 | Todd Kelly | Holden Commodore VE | 0:59.8859 |
| 8 | 22 | Will Davison | Holden Commodore VE | 0:59.9252 |
| 9 | 11 | Jason Bargwanna | Holden Commodore VE | 0:59.9417 |
| 10 | 1 | Jamie Whincup | Holden Commodore VE | 0:59.9673 |
| 11 | 55 | Paul Dumbrell | Ford Falcon FG | 1:00.0165 |
| 12 | 51 | Greg Murphy | Holden Commodore VE | 1:00.0335 |
| 13 | 2 | Garth Tander | Holden Commodore VE | 1:00.0362 |
| 14 | 24 | Fabian Coulthard | Holden Commodore VE | 1:00.0427 |
| 15 | 19 | Jonathon Webb | Ford Falcon FG | 1:00.1253 |
| 16 | 30 | Warren Luff | Holden Commodore VE | 1:00.1443 |
| 17 | 17 | Steven Johnson | Ford Falcon FG | 1:00.2128 |
| 18 | 6 | Steven Richards | Ford Falcon FG | 1:00.2611 |
| 19 | 9 | Shane Van Gisbergen | Ford Falcon FG | 1:00.3314 |
| 20 | 33 | Lee Holdsworth | Holden Commodore VE | 1:00.4578 |
| 21 | 18 | James Courtney | Ford Falcon FG | 1:00.4966 |
| 22 | 3 | Tony D’Alberto | Holden Commodore VE | 1:00.5161 |
| 23 | 10 | Andrew Thompson | Holden Commodore VE | 1:00.6118 |
| 24 | 4 | Alex Davison | Ford Falcon FG | 1:00.8083 |
| 25 | 47 | Tim Slade | Ford Falcon FG | 1:01.0615 |
| 26 | 12 | Dean Fiore | Ford Falcon FG | 1:01.0965 |
| 27 | 21 | Karl Reindler | Holden Commodore VE | 1:01.3937 |
| 28 | 16 | Tony Ricciardello | Holden Commodore VE | 1:01.8862 |
| 29 | 34 | Michael Caruso | Holden Commodore VE | 1:04.9095 |
