The scene is set for a bp Adelaide Grand Final blockbuster, after Broc Feeney controlled challenging track conditions to win Saturday’s Boost Mobile Top Ten Shootout.
The Red Bull Ampol Racing driver claimed a record-extending 18th pole in a Shootout marred by poor track conditions following support category incidents.
Feeney will share the front row with Blanchard Racing Team rookie Aaron Cameron, who put down a stunning performance to claim his best career qualifying result.
Click here for Top Ten Shootout results
“Stoked, probably the most important one of the year so far,” said Feeney, who finished fourth from pole on Friday.
“To get it done, obviously it was tricky conditions out there, I think the track was just getting better and better, and it was so hard to know what you were going to get.
“It was good to be able to see Will’s run before I went out, but to execute a lap like that, I think we were quickest in all three seconds, was awesome.
“Just looking forward to getting after it this afternoon.”
Friday winner Brodie Kostecki kicked off the Shootout, but was caught out by debris and oil at Turn 5 and slid towards the barriers. The 2023 champion closed out a 1:22.7863s.
In response, Cooper Murray caught slides through Turn 5 and Turn 7, and after catching understeer through Turn 8, put a 1:22.4807s on the board. Speaking post-lap, Murray claimed the conditions were “pretty wild.”
Aboard his repaired Castrol Mustang after his Friday crash, Thomas Randle negated the conditions to move well clear of Murray and Kostecki with a 1:21.1599s. 2023 Adelaide 500 winner Matt Payne went next, and after pacing the first sector, jumped over Randle with a 1:21.0016s.
In his first Shootout appearance since Gold Coast Saturday, reigning champion Will Brown caught a slide through Turn 4 and nailed the middle sector put himself on course for a 1:20.8484s. Camaro rival Anton De Pasquale went even quicker through Sector 2 and marched ahead with a 1:20.7434s.
The track conditions clearly continued to favour the later runners, with Cameron, Feeney, Kai Allen and Ryan Wood standing between De Pasquale and a first pole of the season, and first with Team 18.
In just his second career Supercars Shootout, 25-year-old rookie Cameron pieced together a brilliant 1:20.4891s. Feeney, who needed to make a statement after Friday, threw down a stunning 1:19.9716s to put 0.5s on the field.
Allen went next, but his #26 Penrite Ford sounded sick. The rookie stayed with Feeney through the first sector, but could only set a 1:21.1646s to end up seventh.
Last man out Wood, meanwhile, fought his way through the first sector, and ended up 0.7s off Feeney.
Saturday’s 78-lap Race 33 commences at 3:20pm local/3:50pm AEDT.
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