Lakeside qualifying notes

SYDNEY driver Scott Loadsman claimed a debut pole position for his new Holden Commodore V8 in qualifying today for round three of the Century Batteries GT Production Series at the Lakeside circuit, near Brisbane.

Bought new from a Sydney showroom barely two weeks ago and hurriedly adapted for the national GTP production passenger car championship, the $47,000 Commodore SS lapped the 2.4 km track in 60.57 seconds to deliver Loadsman one more point in his quest for the Poolrite V8 Touring class championship.

"We managed to go almost two seconds faster than yesterday's practice time and to get down near the one-minute mark so soon in what is little changed from a standard road sedan is very pleasing," Loadsman said.

"But there are three drivers less than a second behind me on the starting grid, so I don't think it's going to an easy challenge to win our two races tomorrow."

The second-fastest driver, Victorian Daryl Coon, also earned a one-point boost to his lead in the Poolrite 6-Cylinder Touring class with a 60.99 sec. lap in his Ford Falcon XR6.

Current Australian Formula Ford champion Luke Youlden topped the Poolrite 4-Cylinder class in an Astra.

CENTURY BATTERIES AUSTRALIAN GT PRODUCTION CAR CHAMPIONSHIP

GT Production Series, round 3 (Qualifying):

1.  S. Loadsman (Commodore SS) 60.57 sec.  2.  D. Coon (Falcon XR6)
60.99 3.  J. McIlroy (Falcon XR8) 61.16 4.  A. Holgersson (Camry) 61.43
5.  B. Carr (Falcon XR8) 61.94 6.  R.Winston (Commodore SS) 62.49
Poolrite V8 Touring:   S. Loadsman
Hippies 6-Cylinder Touring:  D. Coon
Hippies 4-Cylinder Touring:  L. Youlden (Holden Astra) 62.58

CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS (after qualifying): Poolrite V8 Touring: 46 J. McIlroy, 40 B. Carr, 36 R. Winston. Poolrite 6-Cylinder Touring: 63 D. Coon, 46 A.Holgersson, 42 R.Chadwick (Magna). Poolrite 4-Cylinder Touring: 42 L. Youlden, 30 K. Kalaitzidis (Proton), 29 N. Williams (Proton).

WEEKEND TIMETABLE: Sunday - 10.30 am Race 1 (14 lap), 2.40 pm Race 2 (14 laps).

-Chris Nixon