Mark Winterbottom has already broken his teammate David Reynolds’ new lap record, amazingly dipping into ‘05’ bracket with a 2min05.9011 at the Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000.
Midway through the final practice session before qualifying, Winterbottom was on a flyer around Mount Panorama – and despite a late charge from Scott McLaughlin and the Volvo, Winterbottom is now the quickest man around the Mountain in a V8 Supercar.
But he doesn’t think he will have the record for long, expecting the field to be even quicker in qualifying.
“This afternoon is going to get quicker, it’s going to cool down a bit. Everyone will throw tyres,” he said.
“The car feels good hopefully we can maintain it.”
Team boss Tim Edwards was pleased and agreed they could go faster again.
“It’s pretty good but I think we can go quicker than that, we’ve got some green tyres to put on the car. Pretty good, a 5.09,” Edwards said.
“The category is so close now you’ve only got to be off your game just a small amount to find yourself 15 on the grid.
“We’re determined to be back to back champions here. To have all four cars as competitive as they are, we’re looking in a good position.”
Reynolds and Pepsi Max teammate Chaz Mostert were fourth and fifth in the session, after sitting behind Winterbottom briefly.
McLaughlin was just 0.248sec behind, but not in the ‘05s’ with a 2min06.149.
Red Bull Championship leader Jamie Whincup came home third, and after Reynolds and Mostert, it was Nissan’s Michael Caruso, Fabian Coulthard, Jason Bright, Shane van Gisbergen and James Moffat.
Others to note include Craig Lowndes 11, James Courtney 12 and Garth Tander 15 in the repaired Holden Racing Team Commodore.
ARMOR ALL Qualifying begins at 3pm at the Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000 with a 40-minute session.
