Paul Morris Queensland Saturday report

Sirromet Wines Holden Commodore driver Paul Morris has finished sixth fastest in today's qualifying session leading up to tomorrow's seventh round of the V8 Supercar Championship in Queensland.

Morris' performance secured him a position in tomorrow's 'Top 10 Shoot Out' to determine starting positions on the first five rows of the grid for the following 300km race on the Queensland Raceway track near Ipswich.

The 35-year-old Gold Coast driver recorded a best lap time of 1-min 10.887-secs in qualifying today in his VY Commodore. He set the time on his fifth of eighth laps in the session.

Morris, who is racing for with first time with a new Holden Motorsport engine in his Commodore, finished 0.515-secs behind the quickest driver in qualifying, defending champion Mark Skaife in a Holden Racing Team Commodore. Marcos Ambrose was second fastest in qualifying in a Pirtek Ford Falcon.

Earlier in the day Morris had been third fastest in two practice sessions on the 3.1km circuit.

PAUL MORRIS QUOTES: "We've been in the top half-dozen in every session yesterday and today, which is good because it shows we're consistently quick. I think we've proved we can be competitive in the race. The new engine is making a big difference to our performance this weekend. In qualifying we put four new tyres on the car and the extra grip meant quicker lap times. Later in the session we put another two tyres on the car and went faster again. I spun off the track at the end of the session, but I think the (lap) time we had already done was only a couple of 'tenths' off what the car is capable of. We have another four new tyres to use for the 'Shoot Out' tomorrow so we'll be looking to improve our times and move up a few positions. I like these 300km races because team strategy comes into play and I'm confident our guys can do the job required."

<pre> RESULTS -- QUALIFYING: POS DRIVERS CAR TIME 1. Mark Skaife Holden Racing Team Commodore 1:10.372 2. Marcos Ambrose Pirtek Ford Falcon 1:10.448 3. Todd Kelly Holden Racing Team Commodore 1:10.683 4. Simon Wills Team Dynamic Holden Commodore 1:10.812 5. Russell Ingall Caltex Havoline Ford Falcon 1:10.879 6. Paul Morris Sirromet Wines Holden Commodore 1:10.887 7. Jason Bright Team Brock Holden Commodore 1:10.895 8. Paul Radisich Betta Electrical Ford Falcon 1:10.940 9. John Bowe OzEmail Ford Falcon 1:10.941 10. Greg Murphy Kmart Holden Commodore 1:10.957