Phillip Island Supercars: McLaughlin snares record pole
Scott McLaughlin stormed to pole position for today’s second Supercars race at Phillip Island with a lap record-busting time.
Polesitter Scott McLaughlin, Team Penske Ford
Daniel Kalisz / Motorsport Images
The DJR Team Penske driver went under his own unofficial lap record – set during yesterday's qualifying session – on his first run with a 1m29.333s.
That time would have been good enough for a fourth consecutive pole at Phillip Island, but he still went out again and lowered the benchmark down to a stunning 1m29.062s on his final run.
“That was fun,” he said. “I love it. I’ve got a great car and great team behind me.
“My car was sensational. It suited me so well, a bit of a slide but it was a lot of fun. There's no such thing as a perfect lap, but that was close.“
Fabian Coulthard found half a tenth on his final run to make it a second DJRTP front-row lockout, although he was 0.28s behind his teammate.
Jamie Whincup found three tenths on his final run to grab third with a 1m29.406s, while Mark Winterbottom led a trio of Prodrive Racing Australia Fords ahead of Cam Waters and Chaz Mostert.
Craig Lowndes went quicker on both laps on his final run to slot into seventh, ahead of Triple Eight teammate Shane van Gisbergen, who couldn’t trouble the front runners after a mid-session spring change.
“By our standards, that’s not very good,” he said. “The balance was good., the grip just want’t there. We’re missing something, but we’ll get there.”
Nissan drivers Michael Caruso and Rick Kelly rounded out the Top 10.
Cla | # | Driver | Car | Time | Gap |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 17 | Scott McLaughlin | Ford Falcon FG-X | 1'29.0621 | |
2 | 12 | Fabian Coulthard | Ford Falcon FG-X | 1'29.3462 | 0.2841 |
3 | 88 | Jamie Whincup | Holden Commodore VF | 1'29.4060 | 0.3439 |
4 | 5 | Mark Winterbottom | Ford Falcon FG-X | 1'29.6765 | 0.6144 |
5 | 6 | Cameron Waters | Ford Falcon FG-X | 1'29.7032 | 0.6411 |
6 | 55 | Chaz Mostert | Ford Falcon FG-X | 1'29.7236 | 0.6615 |
7 | 888 | Craig Lowndes | Holden Commodore VF | 1'29.8470 | 0.7849 |
8 | 97 | Shane van Gisbergen | Holden Commodore VF | 1'29.9305 | 0.8684 |
9 | 23 | Michael Caruso | Nissan Altima | 1'29.9915 | 0.9294 |
10 | 15 | Rick Kelly | Nissan Altima | 1'30.0638 | 1.0017 |
11 | 9 | David Reynolds | Holden Commodore VF | 1'30.0663 | 1.0042 |
12 | 14 | Tim Slade | Holden Commodore VF | 1'30.0694 | 1.0073 |
13 | 22 | James Courtney | Holden Commodore VF | 1'30.1206 | 1.0585 |
14 | 56 | Jason Bright | Ford Falcon FG-X | 1'30.1857 | 1.1236 |
15 | 18 | Lee Holdsworth | Holden Commodore VF | 1'30.2988 | 1.2367 |
16 | 7 | Todd Kelly | Nissan Altima | 1'30.3133 | 1.2512 |
17 | 19 | Will Davison | Holden Commodore VF | 1'30.3958 | 1.3337 |
18 | 2 | Scott Pye | Holden Commodore VF | 1'30.4078 | 1.3457 |
19 | 8 | Nick Percat | Holden Commodore VF | 1'30.4605 | 1.3984 |
20 | 33 | Garth Tander | Holden Commodore VF | 1'30.5572 | 1.4951 |
21 | 78 | Simona de Silvestro | Nissan Altima | 1'30.6349 | 1.5728 |
22 | 99 | Dale Wood | Holden Commodore VF | 1'30.6834 | 1.6213 |
23 | 34 | James Moffat | Holden Commodore VF | 1'30.7036 | 1.6415 |
24 | 21 | Tim Blanchard | Holden Commodore VF | 1'30.9313 | 1.8692 |
25 | 62 | Alex Rullo | Holden Commodore VF | 1'31.2149 | 2.1528 |
26 | 3 | Taz Douglas | Holden Commodore VF | 1'31.3978 | 2.3357 |
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