Mates help van Gisbergen to Daytona pole

Shane van Gisbergen has claimed ARMOR ALL Pole Position for the first of two races at Daytona tonight, with some help from other competitors effectively steering him to the top of the timesheets.

WATCH: A VIRTUAL SUPERCARS LAP OF DAYTONA

The 2016 Virgin Australia Supercars Champion claimed his sixth ARMOR ALL Pole Position of the BP Supercars All Stars Eseries.

The result ensures that only van Gisbergen and Anton De Pasquale have claimed pole from qualifying sessions in the virtual series; De Pasquale will start on pole at Charlotte in the opening race of the night.

Van Gisbergen said after his lap at Daytona in the Coopers live chat that he has some on-track rivals to thank for his hot lap including rookie Jake Kostecki and Scott Pye.

“Had a few mates there, which obviously helped,” van Gisbergen said.

“We all got in the top 10, so Jake gave me an awesome tow there. I repaid him on the last lap and he snuck up to eighth.

“In racing it will just be a free for all, particularly that oval is going to be crazy.

"We just got to try stay out of trouble and three good races with no mistakes and try to keep clawing back the points."

When asked what he thought of oval racing, van Gisbergen joked: “Can’t be that hard, it’s just two left-hand corners!”

Starting behind van Gisbergen at Daytona will be Chaz Mostert, De Pasquale, Scott McLaughlin, Scott Pye, Lando Norris, Cam Waters, Dave Reynolds, Lee Holdsworth and Fabian Coulthard, who rounds out the top ten.