Season-best Coulthard bracing for 'race of survival'

Fabian Coulthard was another big Sunday morning surprise in wet conditions at the Beaurepaires Sydney SuperNight.

Brad Jones Racing driver Nick Percat clinched a second ARMOR ALL Pole Position.

Team Sydney driver Coulthard reached the shootout, and set the sixth quickest time in the one-las dash.

It marked a significant jump on Coulthard’s best previous 2021 start of 11th in April’s Beaurepaires Tasmania SuperSprint.

"The first sector was good and the last sector was good, but it didn't quite turn as well as I would have liked and run a little bit wide," Coulthard said of his shootout lap.

"That cost us the bulk of the time, but you know, you got to have a try and, and put it put your balls on the dashboard and have a bit of a go, so that's what we did."

The 39-year-old New Zealander will share the third row with BJR driver Todd Hazelwood.

It came after Coulthard recorded the fourth-fastest time in a rain-soaked qualifying session.

Teammate Garry Jacobson will line up 23rd, having suffered from "frustrating" tyre management issues during qualifying.

Coulthard praised the set-up of his car in tricky conditions. 

"We go out there as drivers and we feel what grip is available and we drive to what that grip is," the 13-time race winner said. 

"It is tough, but you have got to put faith in the guys that they're doing the right thing for us.

"They gave me a car to be sixth overall, so it's not too bad.

"Now we would just like to stay there, that's the big thing. It's gonna be a long race, obviously, the conditions are crazy.

"So it's going to be a race of survival and keeping it on the black stuff, so that's what we'll aim to do.

"But, you know, we need good pit stops and a good race car."

The 64-lap Race 30 will commence at 3:15pm AEDT.