SVG maintains control in Sunday qualifying

Shane van Gisbergen continued his perfect Clipsal 500 weekend by grabbing provisional pole ahead of the Top 10 Shootout.

The Red Bull Holden Racing Team driver backed up his win from P1 on the grid yesterday to set the fastest time in qualifying with a 1:19.2951s.

Team-mate Jamie Whincup was 0.0384s adrift in second while Shell V-Power Racing’s Fabian Coulthard and Scott McLaughlin confirmed their places in the Shootout with third and fourth.

The result marked a major improvement from Whincup after qualifying down in seventh for Saturday's opening 250km heat.

“It’s good to improve from yesterday but we’re still not quick enough,” he said.

“We’re two tenths behind our team-mate in the same car.

“There’s still a bit in me. I haven’t got turns one and two right, that’s where some of the time is being lost.”

Chaz Mostert set the fifth fastest time half-way through qualifying and opted to sit out the rest of the session with confidence in his 1:19.5437s lap.

James Courtney continued to prove his credentials as a street circuit specialist, backing up yesterday’s podium with sixth.

Brad Jones Racing team-mates Nick Percat and Tim Slade finished seventh and eighth respectively.

Putting their opening race tangle behind them, Percat credited Slade with his Shootout slot.

“We made a small change for the last set of tyres based off what the #14 guys were doing and it really lit up the car,” said Percat.

Cameron Waters made contact with the turn eight wall five minutes into qualifying but returned to the track to end the session in ninth.

Veteran driver Garth Tander also impressed for Garry Rogers Motorsport, earning the final spot in the Shootout.

Former series champions Mark Winterbottom and Craig Lowndes will be notable absentees from the Shootout after languishing in 12th and 15th.

Nissan Motorsport driver Rick Kelly could not recapture his earlier qualifying form and only managed 19th.

Reigning Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000 winner Will Davison ended his session early after as the team uncovered damage from yesterday’s crash.

"I felt on the last flying lap the balance shifted quite a lot," said Davison, who had initially shot to the top of the order.

"The front roll-bar is probably the only thing that hasn’t been replaced.

"They were here until 2am fixing the damage.

"I think we were looking pretty good but hopefully our luck will change in the race today."

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