Bathurst 1000: Polesitter Whincup tops warm-up

Whincup and co-driver Paul Dumbrell have been the form pairing all weekend, and capped off a perfect built-up to the Great Race – which includes snaring pole from yesterday’s Shootout – by going fastest in this morning’s warm-up.

In a session where most of the running was focussed on pitstop and driver change practice, Whincup logged a 2m06.766s to ensure he and Dumbrell have topped all but one of the nine sessions so far.

Garth Tander wasn’t far behind in the Holden Racing Team Commodore, just 0.09s short of Whincup’s time, while Scott McLaughlin was next in line in the Volvo, a tenth back.

The Top 5 all dropped into the sixes, Will Davison in fourth with a 2m06.960s, and Craig Lowndes fifth with a 2m06.968s as he prepares to start from a lowly 21st grid spot.

The LD Motorsport Commodore of Andre Heimgartner and Aaren Russell was sixth quickest, ahead of Chaz Mostert – who survived a scary moment when he spun at The Chase with a couple of minutes to go.

Mostert’s Prodrive Racing teammate Mark Winterbottom was next in lien, ahead of the #12 DJR Team Penske Ford of Fabian Coulthard and Luke Youlden, and the Team 18 Commodore of Lee Holdsworth and Karl Reindler.