Pushing limits ‘a bit of fun’ for Golding

Garry Rogers Motorsport rookie James Golding felt he had what became a high-speed off through Phillip Island’s final corner under control.

The Wilson Security Commodore snapped into oversteer approaching the Turn 12 apex midway through ARMOR ALL Qualifying for Saturday’s WD-40 Phillip Island 500 race.

Golding caught that, but several more bites pushed the Supercars newcomer wide on the exit, through the gravel trap and then skating across the grass.

He got back on track and improved later in the session to secure 20th on the grid.

“Heading in there I obviously lost the rear mid-corner and it all started pretty early,” Golding said.

“It’s a really high-speed corner where you’re feathering the throttle through there; you’re on the limit the whole way through.

“I caught it coming out [of the corner], but then obviously on the dirty part of the track I ventured off into the stones.

“It actually broke out a couple more times than what I thought; I thought ‘oh, I’m right’ and then oi, she’s gone again, so it was a bit of fun.

“Pushing the limits and having some fun out there, so it’s good.”

Golding’s single outing in a Supercar at Phillip Island came in 2016, in the Dunlop Super2 Series, winning a race and finishing second in the other two.

He was 23rd and 24th in Friday’s two practice sessions, ultimately qualifying five places and 0.251 seconds behind team-mate Garth Tander.

“Not too bad, we’re making improvements every time we go out,” he said of his weekend so far.

“We’re getting closer and it’s just little bits here and there.

“Because it’s so close around this joint and I’ve got learn off Garth and see where we can make up some speed, and hopefully we can get up there and race against the best.”