With one day of practice in the books, another two sessions await the Supercars field before we go qualifying on the mountain. Join The Roar for live updates and coverage of all three Supercars sessions, as well as the Dunlop Super2 Series practice and qualifying from 8:45am (AEDT).
With three sessions of practice at the mountain already completed, David Reynolds and Scott McLaughlin look to be in fantastic form, while Triple Eight will be hoping for a much better day as the back half of the grid is set.
When it comes to qualifying, McLaughlin has been in fine form this year. While he didn’t top the charts in any session yesterday, he was looking close in the third before David Reynolds went past him. McLaughlin has 13 pole positions to his name though, and already showing plenty of pace, he will be a heavy favourite.
Reynolds himself finished eighth in the first session, before co-driver Luke Youlden finished fourth in session two. The Erebus driver then came through to record the best time of the day 2.05.0931, just two-tenths of a second shy of the lap record.
While Jamie Whincup is sitting second in the championship, it was a tough day for him and teammate Shane Van Gisbergen, both struggling for pace before Van Gisbergen put his car into the wall at the esses.
Van Gisbergen wasn’t the first driver to hit the wall at the top of the mountain, with Tim Slade and Richard Muscat both doing so in the first two sessions.
Even though Whincup punched a top ten finish in each of his sessions, he was down on pace and Paul Dumbrell running through in 17th during the co-drivers session was far from ideal.
Session three is the one to look at, and the DJR Team Penske drivers are on fire. Alongside McLaughlin, Fabian Coulthard has had good pace all year and finished third in that session.
Veterans Garth Tander, Craig Lowndes and Todd Kelly, who have struggled this year also displayed good pace at times yesterday and it would be hardly a surprise for one or all of them to sneak into the top ten.
Chaz Mostert is the other driver who performed well yesterday, particularly early in the day when he won the opening session and co-driver Steve Owen finished second in the next. The pair are experienced and will be a threat on race day after rotten luck for the last few years.
The Dunlop Super2 Series will also be an opportunity to get another look at many of the co-drivers. Watch out in particular for Paul Dumbrell, Macauley Jones, Todd Hazlewood, Jack Le Brocq and Jack Perkins as they set the grid for their 250-kilometre showdown on Saturday.
Prediction
Qualifying is what we are really interested in here, and it’s very difficult to go past Scott McLaughlin to take pole. He should come in ahead of his teammate Coulthard, Mostert and Whincup.
Be sure to join The Roar for live coverage of Friday practice and qualifying from 8:45am (AEDT) and don’t forget to add a comment in the section below.
Jawad Yaqub
Roar Guru
As important as qualifying is, you could say that come Sunday the landscape changes completely. They, who are last may come first - as the saying goes.
Scott Pryde
Expert
Thanks for joining me here on The Roar today for our live coverage of Bathurst 1000 qualifying and practice as Scott McLaughlin broke the lap record and booked top spot in the shootout. The shootout will be live from 5:10pm (AEDT) tomorrow afternoon with Jawad Yaqub. Be sure to join him for that, then I'll be back for the race on Sunday from 11am (AEDT). Bye for now.
Scott Pryde
Expert
Thoughts on the day then Roarers?
Scott Pryde
Expert
Well, a tough day for Triple Eight. Van Gisbergen made the shootout, but none of their cars have looked overly quick, and they have struggled to brake at the chase, Hell corner and Murray's corner.
Scott Pryde
Expert
SUPERCARS BATHURST QUALIFYING FULL RESULTS 1. Scott McLaughlin - 2.04.2254 2. David Reynolds + 0.2476 3. Chaz Mostert + 0.3050 4. Cameron Waters + 0.3704 5. Mark Winterbottom + 0.5604 6. Fabian Coulthard + 0.6701 7. Shane Van Gisbergen + 0.7971 8. James Courtney + 0.8163 9. Jason Bright + 0.8550 10. Garth Tander + 0.8840 _______________________ 11. Jamie Whincup + 0.9432 12. Rick Kelly + 0.9742 13. Michael Caruso + 1.0249 14. Nick Percat + 1.0592 15. Todd Kelly + 1.0720 16. Will Davison + 1.1586 17. Lee Holdsworth + 1.2125 18. Tim Salde + 1.3308 19. Craig Lowndes + 1.3371 20. Scott Pye + 1.3928 21. Dale Wood + 1.4160 22. James Moffat + 1.4176 23. Simona De Silvestro + 1.7169 24. Tim Blanchard + 1.7449 25. Aaren Russell + 2.1979 26. Alex Rullo +3.2547
Scott Pryde
Expert
Full results to come.
Scott Pryde
Expert
Moffat and his crew are also going to have a lot of work ahead of them this evening if they want to get that car right to practice tomorrow morning.
Scott Pryde
Expert
So then, Whincup, the Kelly brothers, Will Davison, Lowndes, Holdsworth and Moffat among the drivers to miss the shootout.
Scott Pryde
Expert
Yep, Reynolds' lap will stand. So, the top ten shootout tomorrow looks like this. McLaughlin, Reynolds, Mostert, Waters, Winterbottom, Coulthard, Van Gisbergen, Courtney, Bright, Tander.
Scott Pryde
Expert
Moffat hit the fence down there at the esses. He hit the inside, then went careering into the outside. Qualifying is over. Moffat was up in ninth there, so it will mean Bright and Tander get to both be in the shootout. Live timing have given David Reynolds his lap, but who knows if it will stand.
Scott Pryde
Expert
So then, with that red flag the session is over 15 seconds from time.
Scott Pryde
Expert
Reynolds looking the goods here. A green first sector, then a PB. He goes over the line with P2! 2.04.473. Red flag is out! Moffat is in the fence, and Coulthard and Tander's laps will be null and void. We now need to wait and find out if Reynolds was over the start finish line before the red flag was out.
Scott Pryde
Expert
Reynolds, Waters and Tander all flying on their laps at the moment. McLaughlin has bettered his time as well with a 2.04.2254.
Scott Pryde
Expert
A stack of flying laps on at the moment, so we could be about to see a major shaking up of the leaderboard. 2 minutes remaining in qualifying.
Scott Pryde
Expert
Will Davison is out of the car here. Sounds like he hit the wall at some point, and with only 4 minutes to go, it looks like he is done. The defending champion will have to come from the back. He is in 16th at the moment.
Scott Pryde
Expert
Pit lane starting to empty with five minutes to go. Plenty of big name drivers under pressure here.
Scott Pryde
Expert
Just seven cars on track. Everyone getting ready for one last go at qualifying as the top ten sorts itself out.
Scott Pryde
Expert
Coulthard on a flying lap here with a couple of PB's and he goes up to sixth with a 2.04.8955. 8 minutes to go and here is the order. McLaughlin, Mostert, Waters, Winterbottom, Reynolds, Coulthard, Van Gisbergen, Courtney, Moffat and Bright. Tander, Whincup and Lowndes among the drivers out of the ten at the moment.
Scott Pryde
Expert
Lowndes off the road down at the chase, but he gets out of there and will head into the pits. He is down the wrong end of the leaderboard here with 10 to go.
Scott Pryde
Expert
Jamie Whincup is down in 16th, but he is on a good one. Couple of PB times through the first two sectors and he comes across the line in 2.05.168. That puts him in tenth, but he will need to keep improving.