Friday champion Brodie Kostecki has topped the primary qualifying of the 2023 Supercars season because the Camaro despatched seven automobiles into the Prime Ten Shootout later this afternoon.
Erebus ace Kostecki picked up the place he left off in observe on Friday, topping the qualifying timesheet with a 1:11.3217 to guide Walkinshaw Andretti’s Chaz Mostert (+0.0371) and reigning Supercars champion, Shane van Gisbergen (+0.1141).
Group 18 landed in P4 with Tim Slade, adopted by David Reynolds and Cam Waters – making it three Mustangs within the prime six.
However from there it was GM dominance, with Triple Eight sophomore Broc Feeney qualifying P7 forward of Andre Heimgartner, Scott Pye and James Golding.
It was a horror begin for the Ford flagship group at Dick Johnson Racing, with Anton De Pasquale touchdown in P17 whereas Will Davison’s qualifying was killed off by a clutch problem.
The Shell V-Energy No.17 had complained of the same problem in a single day and it reared its head once more early on Saturday.
Davison returned to the fray after frantic changes within the storage however the veteran hit the group radio after just a few laps, complaining: “it’s (the clutch) on the ground mate”.
It leaves perennial title challengers DJR with an uphill battle to make the rostrum within the season opener, with neither of De Pasquale and Davison via to the Prime Ten Shootout which begins at 12.35pm AEDT.
SUPERCARS LEGEND HAILS SPORT’S NEW ERA AS GAME CHANGER
Jamie Whincup has declared the Supercars season opener broad open, including “nobody actually is aware of” what Saturday’s 95 laps via the streets of Newcastle will convey.
The Triple Eight Race Engineering managing director, who was the final driver to win at Newcastle again in 2019, advised Information Corp the technique e-book that labored so effectively up to now could be thrown out the window with the introduction of Gen 3 automobiles.
“All that information with the previous automotive you mainly throw all of it out and begin once more — everybody in pit lane could have executed the identical factor,” Whincup mentioned.
Reigning champion Shane van Gisbergen ran second-fastest in Friday’s observe periods —narrowly trailing Erebus ace Brodie Kostecki — whereas sophomore star Broc Feeney was sixteenth quickest.
However with few drivers working prolonged stints on the identical tyres all through observe, questions nonetheless stay over how the Gen3 automobiles will fare below tyre degradation over 250km on Saturday.
“You are taking an informed guess,” Whincup mentioned.
“We now have some information and we will see how a lot the tyres had been worn out with the laps we did – each group shall be doing that. (However) nobody actually is aware of what’s going to occur on the lengthy stint.
“Not understanding what the tyre degradation goes to be, I believe we’ll discover some actual radical methods (utilized by groups on Saturday).
“With these automobiles, you’ll be able to observe and move now, so there shall be some actual confidence you could cease, seize a brand new set of tyres, go to the again of the pack and are available via (the sector).
“It’s shaping as much as be thrilling.”
Triple Eight has held a monopoly on season openers lately, successful 14 of the previous 15, and van Gisbergen’s early observe tempo has the Kiwi king proper in rivalry to proceed the development.
“I didn’t know that,” Whincup revealed of the win streak.
“We at all times wish to hit the bottom working and at all times work actually exhausting within the low season to ensure we begin robust in spherical one, however historical past doesn’t assure something for us.
“It’s all open slather and we’ll simply wait and see what tomorrow brings.”
Van Gisbergen had earlier complained about overheating inside the brand new Camaro all through observe, telling reporters it was the “hottest automotive I’ve pushed in a very long time”.
Whincup mentioned Supercars had acted rapidly by permitting groups to put in warmth safety within the cabins to assist alleviate the problem.
“With the modifications they’ve made it makes full sense that the cabin is just a little hotter, however Supercars has reacted – we’re now allowed to place a bit of warmth shielding in – so hopefully that may convey the cabin temp down tomorrow.”
Saturday qualifying begins at 11.15am AEDT, adopted by the Prime Ten Shootout at 12.35pm earlier than race begin after 3.20pm.
SPOTLIGHT ON SVG AS SUPERCARS RETURNS TO NEWCASTLE
The highlight is on Triple Eight ace Shane van Gisbergen because the reigning Supercars champion readies for his title defence on the streets of Newcastle.
The primary ‘Friday champion’ of Gen3 went to the Erebus No. 99 of Brodie Kostecki who clocked a 1:11.4068 within the ultimate session, with van Gisbergen simply 0.0557 again in second.
Triple Eight has owned a near-monopoly on season openers lately – successful a ridiculous 14 of the previous 15 – and van Gisbergen’s observe kind bodes effectively for a repeat efficiency to open the Gen3 period.
The Kiwi king was a Saturday victor when Newcastle final hosted a Supercars spherical in 2019 and is certainly one of solely two lively drivers – the opposite David Reynolds – to have received a race within the Metal Metropolis.
The earlier three pole sitters have all gone on to win at Newcastle, making Saturday’s qualifying and Prime Ten Shootout notably pivotal within the jostle for early season bragging rights.
With the true efficiency restrict of the Gen3 supercars nonetheless a relative unknown, Cam Waters’ 2019 qualifying time of 1:10.1095s would be the early benchmark for followers to match the previous and new machines.
That point was hardly nudged in observe on Friday as groups tinkered with setups earlier than venturing into the relative unknown that’s 95 laps within the concrete canyon with new machines.
Drivers forecast carnage within the preamble however, miraculously, all 25 automobiles stayed out of the wall on Friday.
Turns one and two brought on loads of troubles nonetheless, with quite a lot of automobiles compelled to run off into the escape areas as drivers struggled to get a deal with on the braking zones.
They loom as a few of the key battlegrounds for the opening race on Saturday, together with the difficult hairpin at flip 10.
Andre Heimgartner topped the primary session with a 1:11.9958, persevering with Brad Jones Racing’s observe dominance courting again to the official take a look at day in Sydney final month.
Van Gisbergen clocked a 1:11.7555 to take honours within the second session, earlier than Kostecki punched the quickest time of the day within the afternoon.
PARITY RESTORED?
It took till three days out from the season opener for the Ford and Common Motors homologating groups to formally sign-off on the Gen3 automobiles as able to race.
With pre-season scrutiny firmly on the reported disparity between the Mustang and Camaro, there was specific intrigue within the instances popping out of Friday’s observe.
And Ford followers can seemingly breathe a sigh of reduction, with Ford fielding 5 automobiles within the top-10 throughout all three observe periods on Friday – nonetheless Camaro held sway on the prime of the time sheet on every event.
ON TOP OF THE HILL
Matt Stone Racing first-timer Cameron Hill lay down an early marker towards his rookie rivals, outpacing Tickford’s Declan Fraser and Grove Racing’s Matt Payne on Friday.
Hill spent the primary two observe periods close to the foot of the time sheet alongside his fellow rookies, nonetheless punched out a 1:11.9225 to complete Eleventh-fastest within the afternoon.
Extremely-regarded 20-year-old Payne clocked in with 1:11.9782, forward of graduating Super2 champion Fraser in twenty fourth with a 1:12.4029.
Initially printed as Supercars: Newcastle 500 qualifying sees Kostecki in first and Camaro dominating prime 10
