Ipswich Supercars: Hazelwood tops co-driver practice
Brad Jones Racing endurance signing Todd Hazelwood comfortably topped the 30-minute co-driver session at Queensland Raceway.
Photo by: Daniel Kalisz / Motorsport Images
While the young South Australian is making his main series debut this weekend as a wildcard entry, he spent the co-driver session in the #21 Brad Jones Racing Commodore rather than his regular Matt Stone Racing mount.
Despite having never driven the BJR car at Queensland Raceway, Hazelwood made a flying start to the weekend.He first jumped to the top with a 1m10.087s 12 minutes into the session, before pulling even further clear with a 1m09.753s on his next lap.
That left him more than four-tenths clear of the field, Steve Richards the best of the rest with a 1m10.197s in Craig Lowndes’s Triple Eight Commodore.
“It was great fun out there, the car was on rails,” said Hazelwood.
“I was very happy with my laps. Obviously I’ve done a lot of laps around this circuit but it was my first time in a BJR chassis.
“It was a lot different to what I’m used to but very enjoyable.”
Nissan wildcard driver Shae Davies was third quickest with a 1m10.209, logged with a little less than 10 minutes to go, while Luke Youlden put the #9 Erebus Commodore into fourth shortly afterwards.
That dropped early pacesetter Warren Luff (#2 HSV Racing Commodore) back to fifth, ahead of Ash Walsh (#14 BJR Commodore) and Steve Owen (#55 Prodrive Racing Falcon).
Tony D’Alberto was on double duties during the session, going eighth fastest in the #12 Penske Falcon, and 13th fastest in the #17 Penske Falcon, having shook down Scott McLaughlin’s car before taking over co-driver Fabian Coulthard’s car for the second part of the session.
Nissan drivers Dean Fiore (#23) and Bryce Fullwood (#7) rounded out the Top 10.
While it was a strong start to the weekend for two of the Brad Jones Racing Commodores, the same couldn't be said for Nick Percat's car. The #8 BJR Holden was struck by an engine problem midway through the session, ending co-driver Macauley Jones' run on the spot.
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