Jamie Whincup has clinched ARMOR ALL Pole Position for the Penrite Oil Sandown 500, in a mixed primary driver sprint race for the Red Bull Holden Racing Team.
Second home was Kiwi driver Andre Heimgartner, who scored the best result of his career to book a front-row grid slot for tomorrow.
The Melbourne weather again played a part in proceedings at Sandown, with constantly changing conditions making tyre strategies a gamble throughout the day. A wet track greeted the drivers for the 20-lap contest, with 11 bravely choosing slicks, while Whincup and the bulk of the front-runners took wets, which proved the right option.
Shane van Gisbergen went into the first turn on the opening lap too hot and collected second-placed Anton Pasquale causing the Penrite Racing holden to spin. This resulted in van Gisbergen limping back to the pits and retiring out of the race.
“We went safe, starting on wets, but I just simply misjudged turn one and the closing speed to the car in front and unfortunately came into contact with Anton (de Pasquale) which put us out,” commented van Gisbergen. “I’m sorry for them because Will (Brown) had done a good job putting them on the front row in the first race and it wrecks two young guys’ days who were going pretty well.
“I’m kicking myself, but hopefully we can make it up tomorrow. We’ll think about strategy tonight, who starts, how to get out of the traffic and start moving to the front. We’ll put our heads down and try to come up with something.”
Race 29 for the main-drivers would decide the grid for tomorrow’s Sandown 500. Championship leader Scott McLaughlin started sixth, with team mate Fabian Coulthard 13th
With McLaughlin’s championship rival Shane van Gisbergen crashing out early, McLaughlin took no risks and finished a strong fifth despite battling over-pressured wet tyres as the track dried.
“Solid day today,” said McLaughlin. “Qualified really well. The car is good in the dry, in the wet it was pretty good too. Alex was safe in his race, and we started well in mine but we just went with too high pressures in the tyres and unfortunately just fell back at the end there. Still got fifth, a solid starting position for tomorrow.”
Coulthard’s race was sensational, making up a fantastic seven places to finish sixth and right on the rear bumper of teammate McLaughlin.
The Shell V-Power Racing Team Mustangs will start side-by-side from the third row of the grid tomorrow, with 161 laps and 500km of racing ahead of them.
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