While qualifying has little significance in a 1000km race, Ford Performance Racing driver Will Davison took out an exciting top 10 shootout on Mt Panorama, securing pole position.
After qualifying fourth yesterday, Davison was the sixth car to come out and complete a lap. His time of 2:08.0693 was good enough by just three-thousandths of a second to TeamVodafone Holden driver Jamie Whincup.
Whincup had to come out last in the shootout after being fastest in qualifying, and as the V8 Supercars champion made his way up mountain straight, rain drops started to land on his windscreen.
The no.1 Holden driver pushed on and secured a spot on the front row for tomorrow’s great race.
Stone Brothers Racing Ford young gun Shane van Gisbergen drove brilliantly to move from his qualifying position of sixth to third and will start alongside Davison’s teammate Mark Winterbottom on row two.
Brad Jones Racing’s Fabian Coulthard will start alongside fellow Holden driver and reigning Bathurst winner Garth Tander on row three while row four will be two Fords with Tim Slade and David Reynolds.
Race favourite Craig Lowndes could only manage the ninth fastest time after battling an oversteering Holden Commodore. Ford driver Steve Owen completed the top 10.
2012 Bathurst 1000 Top 10 Shootout results:
1 6 Trading Post FPR Ford Will Davison (Ford) 2:08.0693
2 1 TeamVodafone Jamie Whincup (Holden) 2:08.1008 0:00.0315
3 9 SP Tools Racing Shane Van Gisbergen (Ford) 2:08.1791 0:00.1098
4 5 Orrcon Steel FPR Ford Mark Winterbottom (Ford) 2:08.1963 0:00.1270
5 14 Lockwood Racing Fabian Coulthard (Holden) 2:08.3385 0:00.2692
6 2 Holden Racing Team Garth Tander (Holden) 2:08.4755 0:00.4062
7 47 Lucky 7 Racing Tim Slade (Ford) 2:08.5995 0:00.5302
8 52 The Bottle-O Racing Team David Reynolds (Ford) 2:08.8866 0:00.8173
9 888 TeamVodafone Craig Lowndes (Holden) 2:09.0997 0:01.0304
10 49 VIP Petfoods Steve Owen (Ford) 2:10.0723 0:02.0030
