Feeney fastest, wildcards soar in first Ipswich practice

Broc Feeney has made a big statement in Supercars' first session at Queensland Raceway in six years, dominating opening practice at the Century Batteries Ipswich Super 440.

In a final flurry of laps, Feeney put nearly 0.2s on his closest rival to mark the first Supercars running at Willowbank since 2019 with the fastest time.

Feeney's two laps at the end of the session were the fastest of all, with Team 18's Anton De Pasquale leading the middle part of the session after Feeney initially led the way.

Matt Stone Racing driver Cameron Hill was third ahead of impressive wildcard duo Cameron Crick and Zach Bates, who made their extra tyres work to slot ahead of reigning champion Will Brown.

Cars rolled out under overcast skies, with rain lashing Willowbank overnight. However, red flags flew before drivers turned a lap in anger, with debris stricken at Turn 2.

After the debris, which was a oil bottle from Jaxon Evans' #12 SCT Logistics Chevrolet, was cleared, Feeney went clear at the top with a 1:09.4166s. Evans was placed under investigation.

Shell V-Power Racing Team star Brodie Kostecki returned serve with a 1:09.5302s to go second ahead of De Pasquale (1:09.5459s), before Bates put his wildcard Triple Eight Camaro into second with a 1:09.4471s ahead of Hill (1:09.4641s).

Through 12 minutes, Walkinshaw Andretti United driver Ryan Wood hit fourth with a 1:09.5153s, with the top nine covered by just 0.17s. De Pasquale then shot to top spot with a 1:09.4043s, with Ford stars Cam Waters and Chaz Mostert 25th and 26th.

Waters and Mostert began to show pace, moving up the order, while Brown landed his Red Bull Ampol Chevrolet in fifth to put five Triple Eight affiliate cars in the top five.

With 10 minutes remaining, De Pasquale, Feeney, Bates, Hill and Brown were covered by 0.062s, with Wood, Kostecki, Richie Stanaway, Andre Heimgartner and James Courtney completing the top 10. Mostert was 18th, Waters 20th, and Matt Payne 26th and last.

Mostert's quiet progress continued, the two-time Bathurst winner jumping to 12th, before Crick motored to fifth with a 1:09.4459s. With one minute remaining, Feeney threw down a 1:09.3203s to reclaim top spot, albeit by 0.084s over De Pasquale.

On his second lap, Feeney put further daylight to his rivals, recording a 1:09.2078s to move 0.196s clear.

De Pasquale, Hill, Crick, Bates, Brown, Wood, Kostecki, Mostert and Courtney rounded out the top 10, with Payne 18th and Waters 19th.

Supercars will return to the track for Practice 2 at 2:20pm AEST.