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Practice report

Bathurst 1000: Whincup makes scorching start in practice

Jamie Whincup kicked off the Bathurst 1000 weekend in scintillating style, launching straight into the 2m05s during the first practice session.

Jamie Whincup and Paul Dumbrell, Triple Eight Race Engineering Holden

Jamie Whincup and Paul Dumbrell, Triple Eight Race Engineering Holden

Dirk Klynsmith

Jamie Whincup and Paul Dumbrell, Triple Eight Race Engineering Holden
Jamie Whincup and Paul Dumbrell, Triple Eight Race Engineering Holden
James Courtney and Jack Perkins, Holden Racing Team run out
Chaz Mostert and Steve Owen, Rod Nash Racing Ford
Scott McLaughlin and David Wall, Garry Rogers Motorsport Volvo

The Triple Eight driver first popped up near the top of the timing monitors when he went third fastest with a 2m08.393s, 17 minutes into the hour-long session, before becoming the first man into the sevens with a 2m07.767s a lap later.

Whincup did have one little slip-up midway through the session, bogging his Red Bull Commodore at the last corner just before the half-hour mark to bring out the red flag.

But, having been shuffled back through the order as a few guys dipped into the sixes in the last quarter of an hour, Whincup put in a blinder on his final flyer to go top with a 2m05.950s – half a second clear of the field.

“It’s great to get the weekend underway. Any lap around this place is pretty cool,” said Whincup. “The track feels pretty clean, it hasn’t deteriorated too much from last year.

“The car feels there or thereabouts. Everyone is going to go quicker, the track’s got a long way to go to really rubbering up.”

Fabian Coulthard finished second in the DJR Team Penske Ford. The Kiwi had gone fastest just seconds before Whincup chimed in with his fastest run, but was still happy to end up second with a 2m06.519s.

“I think it’s a great start,” he said. “It’s just sticking to plan. It’s tough, but it’s good fun to finally get some laps. We love this place.”

Tim Slade ended the session third quickest after making decent gains on his final run, while Scott McLaughlin, who spent much of the hour on top of the times, slipped back to fourth after handing his Volvo over to co-driver David Wall for the last part of the session.

“It’s always good to come out of the truck and the car’s been nice,” said McLaughlin. “It’s still not 100 per cent, but it’s nice to be at the front anyway.”

Nick Percat made use of his decent tyre bank to be fifth fastest in the LD Motorsport Commodore, while Jason Bright was sixth fastest despite being caught up in an on-track battle with Dale Wood on his fastest lap at the flag.

Garth Tander was seventh quickest in the Holden Racing Team Commodore, ahead of Michael Caruso (Nissan), Mark Winterbottom (Prodrive Ford), and Shane van Gisbergen (Triple Eight Commodore).

Scott Pye had the biggest moment of the session, spinning at McPhillamy and backing his DJR Team Penske Ford into the tyre barrier. It turned out the hit looked worse than it was, Pye driving straight out of the wall and back to the garage.

“I came across the crest and just lost the rear,” he explained. “It’s a fast part of the track. The gravel trap, I went backwards through it. If you go in side on, it usually slows you down, but I hit the wall pretty hard.

“I think we’ve got away with it, though. Just a bit of cosmetic damage.”

He didn’t return to the track, however, and thus finished down in 25th.

A couple of key entries struggled with vibration issues throughout the session. Nissan’s Rick Kelly didn’t get to work until there was just 20 minutes left, having chased a tailshaft rattle for the first 40 minutes. He ended up 14th with a 2m07.588s.

Prodrive Racing’s Chaz Mostert had a similar issue, completing six laps early in the session before spending the rest of the time in the garage. He wound up 24th.

Simona de Silvestro had a small scare in the Supergirls Nissan, spinning at the last corner 17 minutes from the end. She managed to keep it off the wall, and finished the session 26th with a best of 2m09.673s.

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