Back-to-back qualifying sessions for today’s two races unfolded this morning, seeing Jamie Whincup take ARMOR ALL Pole Position for Race 23 and Will Davison clinching his first p1 start for the season.
But the big talking point is young gun Chaz Mostert.
Mostert steered the Wilson Security-backed Dick Johnson Racing Ford Falcon into fourth in the first session – his best result since starting in the V8 Supercars main game for the Chill Perth 360, the fourth Championship event of the season – and in the second session rocketed to second.
Starting on the front row is a huge boost for the 21-year old and his pit garage was swarming with fans after the result keen to congratulate and show their support for Mostert.
He knows there will be some nerves off the startline, but the overwhelming feeling for him at the moment is excitement.
“That was really good, I’m a bit speechless at the moment!” he said after the session.
“I never expected to get into the main series this year and to have a front row position for a race and also a top five – I’m absolutely ecstatic. I can’t thank the boys enough, they gave me a real rocketship today.
“After coming off yesterday’s bad race – we had good race pace yesterday and a quick car, just if you don’t get qualy right you get kind of stuck in that. So we’ll see if we can actually get off the start today and settle in the pack there somewhere in the top 10 and cruise to the finish. (That) would be really, really nice.”
After recording fourth in the first session, did Mostert feel like there was more in the car for the second?
“A little bit, but not much,” he said.
“It’s weird because I’m a beginner and I’m learning. You go out there and go, ‘God, that felt really good!’ and you go out in the second session, go really good and think, ‘Why didn’t I do that in the first one?’.
“I think it’s just the experience on the new tyres, things like that. But big wraps to the Wilson Security Falcon today, she was really quick.”
For sure, Mostert said, he would feel nerves getting off the line.
“Everyone’s first couple of starts up in the top five, you’re now in the big league with the big guys you’ve watched your whole life! I’m sure there will be a couple of nerves in there, but we’ll do the best we can and get off the front row and do the best we can, and see where we end up.”
Click here for full results from the day’s first qualifying session, and here for results from the second.
Alongside Whincup in Race 23 will be Scott McLaughlin, with James Courtney making up the top three.
Lining up behind Davison and Mostert in Race 24 are David Reynolds and Tim Slade – also a best qualifying result for an Erebus Motorsport V8 Merecedes-Benz E63 AMG, after Slade had previously recorded sixth in a qualifying session at the SKYCITY Triple Crown in Darwin.
The 100km Race 23 will begin at 1.45pm AEST, followed by 24 at 4.20pm.
