Bathurst 1000: Scott McLaughlin claims provisional pole after impressive qualifying run in rain
Fresh from his record lap on Thursday, Supercars leader Scott McLaughlin again laid down the gauntlet to his rivals by claiming provisional pole in a rain-marred qualifying session.
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Not even the rain can slow Scott McLaughlin’s charge.
The Ford ace again laid down the gauntlet to his rivals by claiming provisional pole for the Bathurst 1000 in a rain-marred qualifying session at Mount Panorama.
In slick conditions after rain rolled in over the mountain on Friday afternoon, the defending Supercars champion continued to set the pace to top qualifying ahead of fellow Mustang driver Chaz Mostert, Holden rival Shane van Gisbergen, Will Davison and Tim Slade to book a ticket to the top-10 shootout.
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Nick Percat, Jamie Whincup, Cameron Waters, Mark Winterbottom and Anton De Pasquale also booked themselves a shootout start on Saturday afternoon.
It was a masterful performance from series leader McLaughlin in the wet and followed another record-breaking day when he again lowered the lap record around Mount Panorama in earlier practice.
But McLaughlin’s teammate Fabian Coulthard and 2017 Bathurst champion David Reynolds were the major casualties from the wet qualifying session and missed top-10 shootout spots.
Coulthard will start from 16th on the grid, while Reynolds, whose team worked through the night to repair his car after co-driver Luke Youlden’s Thursday smash, will start from 22nd on the grid.
McLaughlin admitted he was nervous ahead of the qualifying session in the rain.
“I was so nervous before that session because we had such a good car and this is probably the only wet session that we have,” McLaughlin.
“I’m really proud. We have been struggling with our wet car and to come out and have an awesome wet car from the start, I’m so stoked.
“I want to be at the end of the shootout when the track is a little bit colder and a little bit faster so I was pushing to get those first five spots, but obviously Sunday is the one that we need to worry about.
Already boasting a lead of 598 points in the Supercars championship, McLaughlin is aiming for his first Bathurst crown this year.
Originally published as Bathurst 1000: Scott McLaughlin claims provisional pole after impressive qualifying run in rain