Mostert gets grid penalty, Whincup fined

Chaz Mostert has been handed a three-place grid penalty for this afternoon’s Coates Hire Ipswich SuperSprint race.

The Tickford Racing driver took second in ARMOR ALL Qualifying behind Scott McLaughlin, but will now drop to fifth.

He was found guilty of "careless driving" in impeding Shane van Gisbergen at Queensland Raceway's Turn 6 mid-session in a stewards' investigation.

"Following a report from Triple Eight Race Engineering the DRD investigated an alleged incident where Car #55, Chaz Mostert impeded Car #97, Shane van Gisbergen on the entry to Turn 6 and determined a Breach of Schedule B2 Article 2.1.1 – Careless Driving, the Stewards imposed a Three (3) Grid Spot Penalty for Car #55 in Race 19," the stewards' report reads.

Second was going to be the Supercheap Auto Ford's first front-row start since last October's Vodafone Gold Coast 600.

It promotes Fabian Coulthard to the front row of the grid alongside Shell V-Power Racing team-mate McLaughlin.

David Reynolds and Rick Kelly move up to third and fourth, with Mostert to start fifth and van Gisbergen eighth.

Stewards have also fined Jamie Whincup $1,000, with $500 of that suspended, for a pit-exit infringement in Practice 3.

The Red Bull Holden of Whincup left the lane on the wrong side of the cone, to make a practice start.

Jack Le Brocq was investigated for his own practice start during the session, but cleared of a rules breach.

The stewards' report read: "Following a post-race DRD investigation and an admission by Car #1, Jamie Whincup of a Breach of Schedule B2 Article 6.6 (failed to exit Pit Lane wholly within the fast lane) the Stewards imposed a Fine of $1,000 with $500 suspended until 31/12/18.

"The DRD investigated the Incident involving Car #19, Jack Le Brocq being observed undertaking a Practice Start outside of the Pit Exit, and determined the Incident did not warrant referral to the Stewards."

Race 19 of the 2018 Virgin Australia Supercars Championship starts at 4:15pm on Saturday.