Qualifying report

Other open wheel S5000 – Symmons Plains

Tasmania S5000: Golding takes pole with record lap

James Golding secured the first pole position of the 2022 Australian Drivers' Championship season with a record-breaking lap at Symmons Plains.

Andrew van Leeuwen

Edited: Feb 12, 2022, 7:15 AM

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James Golding, Garry Rogers Motorsport

The 20-minute session was effectively a two-way battle for pole between Garry Rogers Motorsport driver Golding and reigning Gold Star winner Joey Mawson.

The pair traded fastest times in the mid-48s throughout the session, before Golding landed the hammer blow with a 48.389s with five minutes to go.

That pole-winning time didn't just lower the unofficial lap record for S5000, but is now the fastest time ever set in any car at the Tasmanian circuit.

"Fantastic," said Golding. "We had some good pace through practice yesterday and it was about converting it. We didn't get too ahead of ourselves and made sure we did a good job.

"It was tricky out there, the sun really makes it difficult on the tyres so you've got to maximise – but it only takes a little smidge to go over the top.

"I'm super stoked, thanks to the team."

Mawson will start on the outside of the front row, the final gap between him and Golding just six-hundredths of a second.

Tim Slade, making his S5000 debut this weekend, was best of the rest as he grabbed third on the grid. The Supercars race winner spent the session locked in battle with Cooper Webster, just five hundredths separating them at the end.

Gold Star stalwart Tim Macrow qualified fifth ahead of Blake Purdie and Super2 racer Josh Fife, another driver on debut in S5000 this weekend.

Kaleb Ngatoa was eighth while local driver Adam Gardwood rounded out the nine-car field, his session interrupted by a couple of off-track excursions.

The first race of the 2022 season will start at 3:10pm local time today.

Watch all of the S5000 action from Symmons Plains live on Motorsport.tv.

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