Feeney beats Brown in final Sandown practice
Supercars
16 Sep
Feeney sets the pace ahead of ARMOR ALL Qualifying
Six Camaros, four Fords in the top 10 after final practice
Red Bull Ampol Racing driver Broc Feeney has beaten future teammate Will Brown to top spot in Practice 4 ahead of ARMOR ALL Qualifying at the Penrite Oil Sandown 500.
Feeney eclipsed Brodie Kostecki’s Friday benchmark — a 1:08.7125s — with a 1:08.5834 late in the 30-minute session.
Kostecki’s Erebus Motorsport teammate Brown turned in a 1:08.7380s just minutes before, after recording a 1:08.9270s on his first of two fast laps.
Tim Slade (#23 Nulon Camaro), Cam Waters (#6 Monster Energy Mustang) and Thomas Randle (#55 Castrol Mustang) rounded out the top five.
There were six Chevrolets and four Fords in the top 10, with David Reynolds (#26 Penrite Mustang) sixth ahead of James Golding (#31 Nulon Camaro) and Will Davison (#17 Shell V-Power Mustang).
Shane van Gisbergen (#97 Red Bull Ampol Camaro) and Zane Goddard (#888 Supercheap Auto Camaro) made it three Triple Eight Chevrolets in the top 10, with Richie Stanaway setting the #97’s best time of the morning.
“You want to qualify good, but the big goal is the race,” said Feeney, who is third in the championship behind Kostecki and van Gisbergen, and ahead of Brown.
“What we’re looking for will overall help our race set-up, but for sure, we had a crack to see what it’s going to be like on a green tyre.”
Stanaway opened proceedings under sunny Melbourne skies with a 1:09.2979s, before Feeney edged ahead with a 1:09.2206s. Stanaway improved to a 1:08.9757s, as did Feeney with a 1:08.9529s.
Reynolds showed early pace, jumping to fourth with a 1:09.3276s, with Randle and Anton De Pasquale (#11 Shell V-Power Mustang) also jumping into the top 10.
There was a mix of primary and co-drivers in the first half of the session, with David Russell clocking laps in Kostecki’s #99 Coca-Cola Camaro.
All the while, Golding jumped to second with a 1:08.9664s, an impressive time given he locked up and ran off at Turn 9 on the previous lap.
The bulk of the field returned to the track with four minutes remaining, with Reynolds firing to top spot with a 1:08.8874s, before recording a 1:09.1265s on his second push lap.
Brown, who is fighting back following a nightmare OTR SuperSprint, put his #9 Coca-Cola Chevrolet on top with a 1:08.7380s on his second lap, having clocked a 1:08.9270s on his first lap.
The times continued to tumble, Waters moving to third from 19th with a 1:08.9153s, before Slade vaulted to third with a 1:08.8166s. Feeney, meanwhile benefited from a tow from a Shell V-Power Ford to put a margin on the field.
“That’s going to be the biggest part of tomorrow, is making the tyres last,” said Feeney, who is racing with five-time Sandown winner Jamie Whincup.
“It doesn’t matter how good the set-up is, you’ve still got to control that throttle. I know I’ve got the best guy in my corner doing that job.”
Chaz Mostert was 15th in his #25 Mobil 1 Optus Ford, with De Pasquale 18th. Kostecki, meanwhile, ended up 25th on the time sheets with Russell completing the majority of running in the #99 Chevrolet.
ARMOR ALL Qualifying will get underway at 1:40pm, ahead of the Top Ten Shootout at 5:20pm.
