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Qualifying report

Townsville Supercars: Van Gisbergen seals Shootout pole

Shane van Gisbergen will start today's 200-kilometre Supercars race from pole positions after topping the Top 10 Shootout.

Shane van Gisbergen, Triple Eight Race Engineering Holden

Shane van Gisbergen, Triple Eight Race Engineering Holden

Dirk Klynsmith / Motorsport Images

Shane van Gisbergen, Triple Eight Race Engineering Holden
Shane van Gisbergen, Triple Eight Race Engineering Holden
Shane van Gisbergen, Triple Eight Race Engineering Holden
Jamie Whincup, Triple Eight Race Engineering Holden
Scott McLaughlin, DJR Team Penske Ford
Rick Kelly, Nissan Motorsport Nissan
David Reynolds, Erebus Motorsport Holden

The Kiwi, who ran last after going quickest in regular qualifying earlier today, was dominant in the single-lap battle for pole, ending up more than two-tenths clear of teammate Jamie Whincup in second.

“We’ve made a huge step forward and it feels really awesome in qualifying trim,” said van Gisbergen.

“All three of us were in the Top 10 and just privileged to drive these cars.

“The car was amazing on that lap. I drove it quite smoothly, it was hooked up.”

Whincup came out of the Shootout in better shape than when he went into it, jumping up a spot compared to his qualifying position.

That was thanks to Scott McLaughlin showing uncharacteristically poor single-lap pace, running second-last in the Shootout but managing just the seventh-best time.

Rick Kelly also profited from McLaughlin's plummet through the field, the Nissan driver third quickest in the Shootout, while David Reynolds went quicker than he did in regular qualifying to go fourth fastest.

“I was a little bit happier than qualifying, the car was obviously trimmed up a bit better,” he said.

“If I had my time again I probably would have broke fractionally later at the last corner. I probably lost a tenth or half a tenth there, which would be enough to jump Rick, but the rest I had no chance.

“Those Triple Eight cars are very fast weekend. Hopefully we can tune our car up for the race, because yesterday ours was a bit of a pig.”

Will Davison was fifth quickest, while Craig Lowndes made up two spots compared to qualifying and will start on the outside of the third row.

McLaughlin will start on the fourth row next to Nick Percat, with James Courtney and Scott Pye both losing ground in the Shootout and locking out the fifth row.

ClaDriverCarTimeGap
1 97 new_zealand  Shane van Gisbergen  Holden Commodore ZB 1'12.1042  
2 1 australia  Jamie Whincup  Holden Commodore ZB 1'12.3386 0.2344
3 15 australia  Rick Kelly  Nissan Altima 1'12.4532 0.3490
4 9 australia  David Reynolds  Holden Commodore ZB 1'12.4931 0.3889
5 230 australia  Will Davison  Ford Falcon FG X 1'12.5396 0.4354
6 888 australia  Craig Lowndes  Holden Commodore ZB 1'12.6231 0.5189
7 17 new_zealand  Scott McLaughlin  Ford Falcon FG X 1'12.6238 0.5196
8 8 australia  Nick Percat  Holden Commodore ZB 1'12.9139 0.8097
9 25 australia  James Courtney  Holden Commodore ZB 1'12.9960 0.8918
10 2 australia  Scott Pye  Holden Commodore ZB 1'13.0275 0.9233

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