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While most drivers were seeing red, four-time champion Jamie Whincup was making his V8 Supercars rivals green with envy as he topped the practice timesheets at the Bathurst 1000 on Thursday.
Three red flags emerged in an incident-packed third and final session before Whincup landed a psychological blow ahead of Friday’s qualifying by clocking a best lap time of two minutes 8.32 seconds.
The consistent Mark Winterbottom (2:09.05) was second fastest while fellow Ford threat David Reynolds (2:09.33) was third quickest.
It is another confidence boost for Whincup, the defending Bathurst champion who ended a horror run with victory at the recent Sandown 500.
Before the opening enduro, Whincup had savoured victory just once in 10 starts including two DNFs.
Still Whincup leads the championship ahead of the Great Race, 96 points ahead of Holden teammate Craig Lowndes whose fastest time came in the opening practice session.
He topped the timesheets from the outset by clocking 2:10.10 ahead of Winterbottom (2:10.28) and Andrew Jones’ Holden (2:10.36).
Not that Lowndes needs the practice.
He is more than familiar with the Mount Panorama circuit – this year marks his 20th Great Race.
Remarkably Lowndes has finished on the Bathurst podium eight times in the last 10 years including four wins.
He is second on the championship standings, just 96 points behind Holden teammate Jamie Whincup.
Three-time V8 champion Lowndes has his best shot at breaking a 14-year title drought this year.
But Lowndes said claiming winning another Bathurst crown would mean more.
“I have always said Bathurst is it for me – there is no doubt about that,” Lowndes told AAP.
“The championship is a huge achievement because you have got the whole year right and that’s what it is all about.
“But Bathurst is singularly the biggest race of the year.
“Globally it is the most recognised. For me it is all about Bathurst.”
Lowndes will mark his 500th Australian touring car/V8 Supercars race start on Sunday.
And one more podium finish will put him equal with legends Peter Brock, Larry Perkins and Jim Richards for the most at Bathurst.
The red flags that peppered final practice flowed on from the middle session which featured only co-drivers.
The worst hit was Mercedes’ Andrew Thompson who ended up in a tyre wall at 90km/h due to brake failure, avoiding a horrific collision with Fabian Coulthard’s Holden.
However, the Benz was repaired in time for lead driver Tim Slade to take part in the final practice session.
“I was just coming into the Chase, got on to the brake pedal and it went to the floor,” Thompson said.
“It could have been a lot worse.”
Winterbottom’s co-driver Steven Johnson set the pace in the second session, clocking 2:10.55.
Qualifying starts from 1500 AEDT on Friday after two more practice sessions.
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