Winterbottom takes Sandown pole

Winterbottom, in the car he will be sharing with Matt Halliday, was sixth fastest in qualifying but jumped to the top halfway throught the top ten shootout and couldn't be dislodged.

This was despite a valiant attempt by James Courtney, who was fastest in qualifying and will start alongside Winterbottom after setting the second fastest time in the shootout, less than a tenth slower than Winterbottom.

Courtney only just made it on to the front row, as he pipped Holden Racing Team's Todd Kelly by less than a hundredth of a second in the car Kelly will share with Nathan Pretty.

After his teammate Mark Skaife had to withdraw before practice began, Kelly has not been 100 percent well this weekend, seeking medical attention after his shootout lap with a severe gastric complaint.

The Toll HSV car of Garth Tander and Craig Baird was next, ahead of the Team Vodafone Falcon of Jamie Whincup and Craig Lowndes. Points leader Rick Kelly qualified eighth in the car he'll drive alongside Paul Radisich, the Toll HSV team choosing like most of the top teams (apart from Team Vodafone) to keep their regular drivers in separate cars.

Last round winner Lee Holdsworth just missed the top ten shootout in 11th place in the car he'll share with Dean Canto, while the international duo of Richard Lyons and Allan Simonsen will start 14th in the second Team Vodafone car.

The biggest surprise of qualifying however was the performance of the number 2 Holden Racing Team car of Glenn Seton and Tony Longhurst. Originally to be driven by Mark Skaife and Todd Kelly before Skaife's appendicitis, Seton made it through to the second session of qualifying guaranteeing him a top 20 starting position.

However, in that session, 20th was the best Seton could do, and so he will start 17 positions behind the other HRT machine. There is still a chance he may be partnered in the race by Mark Skaife, who visited the team on Friday, and is recuperating at home today before being assessed as to whether he can compete on Sunday.

Pos  Drivers                              Car
 1.  Mark Winterbottom/Matt Halliday      Ford Falcon BF
 2.  James Courtney/David Besnard         Ford Falcon BF
 3.  Todd Kelly/Nathan Pretty             Holden Commodore VE
 4.  Garth Tander/Craig Baird             Holden Commodore VE
 5.  Jamie Whincup/Craig Lowndes          Ford Falcon BF
 6.  Steven Richards/Owen Kelly           Ford Falcon BF
 7.  Will Davison/Steven Johnson          Ford Falcon BF
 8.  Rick Kelly/Paul Radisich             Holden Commodore VE
 9.  Jason Richards/Greg Murphy           Holden Commodore VE
10.  Russell Ingall/Luke Youlden          Ford Falcon BF
11.  Lee Holdsworth/Dean Canto            Holden Commodore VE
12.  Max Wilson/Michael Caruso            Ford Falcon BF
13.  Alex Davison/Andrew Thompson         Ford Falcon BF
14.  Richard Lyons/Allan Simonsen         Ford Falcon BF
15.  Steve Owen/Tony D'Alberto            Holden Commodore VZ
16.  Cameron McConville/Paul Dumbrell     Holden Commodore VE
17.  Jason Bright/Adam Macrow             Ford Falcon BF
18.  Shane Price/Jack Perkins             Holden Commodore VE
19.  Greg Ritter/Cameron McLean           Holden Commodore VE
20.  Glenn Seton/Tony Longhurst           Holden Commodore VE
21.  Jason Bargwanna/Grant Denyer         Ford Falcon BF
22.  Marcus Marshall/Kayne Scott          Holden Commodore VE
23.  Shane van Gisbergen/John McIntyre    Ford Falcon BF
24.  Andrew Jones/Simon Wills             Ford Falcon BF
25.  Paul Dumbrell/Paul Weel              Holden Commodore VE
26.  Paul Morris/Steven Ellery            Holden Commodore VE
27.  Warren Luff/Alan Gurr                Ford Falcon BF
28.  Jonathon Webb/John Bowe              Ford Falcon BF
29.  Fabian Coulthard/Chris Pither        Holden Commodore VZ
30.  Mark Noske/Jay Verdnik               Holden Commodore VE
31.  Damien White/Christian Murchison     Ford Falcon BF