Steven Richards takes Hamilton pole

With conditions improving steadily throughout qualifying, Richards made the most of making it through to the final segment of qualifying by setting a quick time early in the final session, holding on to pole despite a late charge by 2007 series champion Garth Tander.

2006 series champion Rick Kelly was consistently fast in the final segment to take third position, just ahead of James Courtney.

Garry Rogers Motorsport's Lee Holdsworth completed the top five ahead of Cameron McConville, Greg Murphy in his new Sprint Gas Racing machine and Michael Caruso in the second Garry Rogers car, as some new names popped up to the top of the grid.

Holden Racing Team's Mark Skaife and Glenfords Racing's Fabian Coulthard completed the top ten.

It wasn't a good day for everyone however. Steven Richards' teammate Mark Winterbottom was thirteenth fastest, but that was nothing compared to the disastrous qualifying result for Team Vodafone.

Craig Lowndes qualified 21st after choosing the wrong tyres each time during the first segment, while teammate Jamie Whincup made the right choice and set a time early in the session only one driver could even get close to.

But Whincup's day didn't end so well. In the second segment, he went fast early but had just fallen outside the top ten and was on a fast lap when his lap came to a sudden halt.

In front of him, Jack Daniel's Racing's Todd Kelly was also on a flier when he understeered wide at turn five and over a large kerb. With the track off the racing line still damp to wet, Kelly was anxious to get back on the track, with a wall a short distance ahead also helping his urgency.

And so Kelly turned right back onto the track in the middle of the exit of the sweeping corner, T-boning Whincup, sending Whincup to the left at speed hard into the very concrete wall he was trying to avoid.

Kelly qualified 19th fastest and blamed Whincup for not giving him enough room, despite there being half a car width between Whincup and the inside of the kerb. The big loser was points leader Whincupm whose whole weekend is now over.

Pos  Driver                Make     Time
 1.  Steven Richards       Ford     1:24.7270
 2.  Garth Tander          Holden   1:24.7974  + 0.0704
 3.  Rick Kelly            Holden   1:24.9111  + 0.1841
 4.  James Courtney        Ford     1:24.9289  + 0.2019
 5.  Lee Holdsworth        Holden   1:25.0264  + 0.2994
 6.  Cameron McConville    Holden   1:25.0338  + 0.3068
 7.  Greg Murphy           Holden   1:25.0387  + 0.3117
 8.  Michael Caruso        Holden   1:25.5047  + 0.7777
 9.  Mark Skaife           Holden   1:25.5638  + 0.8368
10.  Fabian Coulthard      Ford     1:25.5755  + 0.8485
11.  Jamie Whincup         Ford     1:25.8686  + 1.1416
12.  Shane Van Gisbergen   Ford     1:25.8921  + 1.1651
13.  Mark Winterbottom     Ford     1:25.9384  + 1.2114
14.  Andrew Jones          Holden   1:26.0055  + 1.2785
15.  Jason Bright          Ford     1:26.1540  + 1.4270
16.  Will Davison          Ford     1:26.3173  + 1.5903
17.  Shane Price           Holden   1:26.4035  + 1.6765
18.  Steven Johnson        Ford     1:26.5019  + 1.7749
19.  Todd Kelly            Holden   1:26.5241  + 1.7971
20.  Andrew Thompson       Holden   1:26.9382  + 2.2112
21.  Craig Lowndes         Ford     1:32.9566  + 8.2296
22.  Russell Ingall        Holden   1:32.9753  + 8.2483
23.  Paul Dumbrell         Holden   1:33.3609  + 8.6339
24.  Paul Morris           Holden   1:33.7532  + 9.0262
25.  Jason Richards        Holden   1:33.7563  + 9.0293
26.  Marcus Marshall       Ford     1:34.0816  + 9.3546
27.  Michael Patrizi       Ford     1:34.1202  + 9.3932
28.  Kayne Scott           Ford     1:34.9871  +10.2601
29.  Tony D'Alberto        Holden   1:35.2007  +10.4737