Dunlop Series run sees slow track times

The Dunlop Series kicked off this morning’s running at Winton Raceway, and a significant difference in track time was noted.

Cameron Waters topped the session, the ENZED FPR driver recorded a 1min27.1334sec lap around the 3km Winton circuit – but compared with last year’s ARMOR ALL Pole Position result, a 1min23.7669, cars were over three seconds slower.

A sealant, used to repair gaps and cracks on the circuit, is being pulled up by the cars.

Erebus Motorsport technical director Wes McDougall said cars were bringing in big chunks of rubber, that get caught up in the wheel guards.

McDougall said it was difficult to judge how this will affect the V8 Supercars – and with just three 20-minute practice sessions today, and rain falling at the beginning of the first session – track condition may change before tomorrow’s qualifying sessions.

“It’s hard to tell now because we get three 20 minute sessions and the track might change quickly across that time. If it continues to clean up it certainly might change before qualifying tomorrow,” McDougall told v8supercars.com.au.

“We really won’t know until we compare the third practice times to the first practice times – that will give us a reading on how quickly the track’s changing.”

McDougall said the team had an idea the sealant may move around when conducting the track walk yesterday afternoon.

“There’s no real way of knowing, until we get cars out there, what the differences might be.

“(It's) Probably not a concern – I haven’t actually seen the surface itself at the moment, so it’s hard to tell if it’s a concern, it more just changes the goal posts on the car grip and the lap times. 

"It’s probably more the changing goal posts session to session that will make it interesting."

Cameron Waters has topped the first Dunlop Series practice session.

Waters had a mere 0.238sec gap over second-placed Steve Owen, who was a last minute choice to fill the MWM #27 Falcon, with Andre Heimgartner third.

V8 Supercars practice has begun, with two more 20-minute sessions this afternoon. Dunlop Series has another 40-minute run.