Winterbottom steals Bathurst pole
Ford Performance Racing's Mark Winterbottom has taken pole position for Sunday's Supercheap Auto 1000 at Bathurst with a stunning shootout lap
For a while it looked like Jim Beam Racing's Steven Johnson would take pole, holding out challenges from Lee Holdsworth, Greg Murphy and Craig Lowndes who got close but couldn't eclipse Johnson's effort.
That was before Holden Racing Team's Mark Skaife took to the track. By the end of the first sector it was clear he would be at the top of the tree, in the end taking nearly a second off the previous pole mark.
Garth Tander was the penultimate contender for pole, and was around the mark throughout the lap but unable to topple Skaife in the end, slower by less than a tenth of a second.
Finally, it was Winterbottom's turn, fastest in Friday qualifying. Fast but a little more ragged than Skaife, it was going to come down to the final sector to determine pole.
A small wiggle as Winterbottom turned left in the Chase gave hope back to Skaife, but Skaife's own final sector wasn't perfect either.
As Winterbottom crossed the line he popped to the top of the times, just over a tenth of a second faster than Skaife who will start second tomorrow.
Tander finished third just ahead of Johnson, with Oran Park winner Lee Holdsworth next just ahead of 2006 Bathurst winner Craig Lowndes.
The rest of the top ten comprises of Greg Murphy, James Courtney, Paul Raidisich and Russell Ingall, who was on track to a decent time before locking his rear brakes at the final corner and spinning.
The field is down to 30 cars after the Team BOC Ford Falcon of Damien White and Christian Murchison was withdrawn after the team realised the car was too damaged to repair for Sunday's race after White's crash in Friday qualifying.
Pos Drivers Car Time 1. Mark Winterbottom/Steven Richards Ford Falcon BF 2:07.0908 2. Mark Skaife/Todd Kelly Holden Commodore VE 2:07.1961 3. Garth Tander/Rick Kelly Holden Commodore VE 2:07.2871 4. Steven Johnson/Will Davison Ford Falcon BF 2:08.0782 5. Lee Holdsworth/Dean Canto Holden Commodore VE 2:08.1812 6. Craig Lowndes/Jamie Whincup Ford Falcon BF 2:08.2449 7. Greg Murphy/Jason Richards Holden Commodore VE 2:08.3672 8. James Courtney/David Besnard Ford Falcon BF 2:08.3911 9. Paul Radisich/Craig Baird Holden Commodore VE 2:08.4909 10. Russell Ingall/Luke Youlden Ford Falcon BF 2:19.5966 11. Greg Ritter/Cameron McLean Holden Commodore VE 2:08.4006 12. Paul Dumbrell/Paul Weel Holden Commodore VE 2:08.4802 13. Jason Bright/Adam Macrow Ford Falcon BF 2:08.6625 14. Glenn Seton/Nathan Pretty Holden Commodore VE 2:08.6628 15. Andrew Jones/Simon Wills Ford Falcon BF 2:08.9001 16. Richard Lyons/Allan Simonsen Ford Falcon BF 2:08.9718 17. Marcus Marshall/Kayne Scott Holden Commodore VE 2:08.9984 18. Cameron McConville/David Reynolds Holden Commodore VE 2:09.0878 19. Mark Noske/Jay Verdnik Holden Commodore VE 2:11.2633 20. Alex Davison/Andrew Thompson Ford Falcon BF - 21. Jason Bargwanna/Max Wilson Ford Falcon BF 2:09.5378 22. Warren Luff/Alan Gurr Ford Falcon BF 2:09.7122 23. Steve Owen/Tony D'Alberto Holden Commodore VZ 2:09.7822 24. Matt Halliday/Owen Kelly Ford Falcon BF 2:09.8141 25. John Bowe/Jonathon Webb Ford Falcon BF 2:09.8464 26. Jack Perkins/Shane Price Holden Commodore VE 2:10.0196 27. Paul Morris/Steve Ellery Holden Commodore VE 2:10.0945 28. Fabian Coulthard/Chris Pither Holden Commodore VZ 2:10.3498 29. Shane Van Gisbergen/John McIntyre Ford Falcon BF 2:10.4038 30. Michael Caruso/Grant Denyer Ford Falcon BF 2:11.5360
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