Untouchable Dalton claims historic Bathurst Shootout pole

Lochie Dalton has continued to strengthen his Dunlop Super2 Series title challenge, claiming pole in the first ever Boost Mobile Top Five Shootout at Mount Panorama.

The #6 Tickford Mustang flew to a 2:06.0063 in the one lap dash, securing his third pole in nine starts this season, and his first since his Townsville double pole.

Dalton, who also claimed provisional pole prior to the Shootout, edged out Tickford teammate and wildcard co-driver Rylan Gray by just over two tenths of a second, with the protege of Marcos Ambrose ecstatic with his performance.

"There's nothing else like it, it's so cool having this place to yourself," said Dalton.

"I just hung on and sent it as hard as I could, I almost wrote the thing off in the first qualy, so I tried to dial it back a little bit.

"I can't thank Tickford enough, my family, the Walter family, they continue to back me even when we have long droughts, so I can't thank everyone in my corner enough."

Cameron McLeod and Jobe Stewart will share the second row, whilst Reuben Goodall rounded out the top five.

Race 1 of the weekend for the Dunlop Super2 Series will begin at 3:15pm local time.

Boost Mobile Qualifying

It was a journey into the unknown for the Super2 field, as qualifying marked the first time all weekend that there had been completely dry running in the development series.

Having only done three laps yesterday, Rylan Gray went straight to the top on the opening lap with a 2:07.3544, however Tickford teammate Lochie Dalton then put down a big marker with a 2:05.8544.

In the final half of the session, all attention turned to who would progress to the Top Five Shootout. Zach Bates ran off at The Chase on his first push lap, and pitted the #1 Commodore with a potential power steering drama.

Meanwhile, Jobe Stewart moved to second for Erebus on a 2:06.0584, breaking up what was an all-Tickford top three of Dalton, Reuben Goodall, and Gray, whilst Bailey Sweeny moved to fifth at the expense of the stricken Bates.

Cameron McLeod then punched his ticket to the Shootout, going third on a 2:06.1469, before Gray jumped back to second, and Dalton went faster again at the top on a 2:04.4794.

Dalton was going even quicker on a final push lap, but was lucky to get away with a big moment at Skyline after losing the rear of the #6, electing to go straight on at The Esses.

Jordyn Sinni briefly knocked Goodall out of the top five, before the #5 Tickford entry bumped his way back in by 0.061s.

That left a Top Five Shootout field comprised of four Mustangs and a lone Commodore, namely Dalton, Gray, Stewart, McLeod, and Goodall.

Those who just missed out were Sinni, the returning Jonathon Webb, Nash Morris, Sweeny, and Bates, who was unable to utilise the best of the track conditions, and finished the session in 10th.

The 20-minute session ran green throughout, with Cody Gillis going the closest to bringing out a red flag after whacking the wall going under the tree at Reid Park.

Boost Mobile Top Five Shootout

Reuben Goodall was the first Dunlop Series driver to run a Shootout lap on Mount Panorama, and it was clean run for the South Australian, who laid down a 2:07.1118 as the marker to chase.

The winner of the first Boost Mobile Pole Award for the season in Sydney, Cameron McLeod, was next out on track, and took a brave strategy gamble to be the only Shootout runner to run green tyres for his one lap dash.

The green tyres immediately provided a benefit, McLeod gaining four tenths in the opening sector alone, and gaining a further two tenths across the top of the Mountain.

The #92 Mustang set a brilliant 2:06.3839, some 0.727s quicker than Goodall, and sending a big statement out to the remaining three cars.

Jobe Stewart was next in the #99 Erebus entry, Stewart ran all but line ball to McLeod to the first sector, and had a serious crack over the top of the Mountain, and clouted the wall at the exit of Forrests Elbow.

After a little wobble of the steering Stewart pressed on, and remarkably finished just a tenth of a second behind McLeod.

Series leader Rylan Gray was up next, and was immediately on the money despite a slide at the exit of The Cutting, and pipped McLeod on a 2:06.2430.

That left the provisional polesitter Lochie Dalton, who will drive alongside Gray in the Repco Bathurst 1000 on Sunday. A mega run across the middle sector gave the Tasmanian a two tenth advantage heading into the final sector, which he completed mistake-free, ensuring pole position.