Brown quickest after Allen skirmish, warning from stewards
Will Brown quickest after Kai Allen skirmish, warning from stewards
Reigning champion puts 0.3s on the field despite bizarre incidents at The Bend
Brodie Kostecki 26th, #38 Ford set for major changes after car issues
He battled Kai Allen, was baulked in pit lane and was warned by the stewards, yet Will Brown emerged fastest with a rapid lap on Friday at the AirTouch 500 at The Bend.
The reigning champion had a busy journey to top spot in Practice 3, Brown out-pacing Red Bull Ampol Racing teammate Broc Feeney by 0.321s after 30 frantic minutes.
Brown's charge to the fastest ever Gen3 lap at The Bend came after an initial skirmish with Penrite Racing's Kai Allen following a Safety Car procedure trial, before he was forced to hold behind the Bryce Fullwood/Brad Vaughan Camaro in pit lane.
He then copped a warning from the stewards over crossing the blend line at pit exit, but was ultimately quickest of all with a 1:48.9957s in a show of strength by the 2024 Sandown 500 winner.
Brown, Feeney, Thomas Randle, Cam Waters and Anton De Pasquale all dipped beneath the previous Gen3 practice/qualifying lap record at The Bend, set by Brodie Kostecki in 2023.
Kostecki was one of many to strike trouble in the session, with Kostecki only 26th in his Shell V-Power Ford after suffering a suspected steering rack drama. Walkinshaw Andretti United teammates Ryan Wood and Chaz Mostert, meanwhile, were 20th and 21st.
Andre Heimgartner pipped Randle by 0.006s through the opening laps before officials conducted the Safety Car procedure trial. An incident was simulated at Turn 6, which in theory, simulated a 'slow zone' from Turn 4 to Turn 7 .
After the restart, De Pasquale jumped ahead by 0.059s, while Allen got involved with the two Triple Eight drivers. Replays showed Allen picking off Feeney and Brown through Turn 16, with the latter returning serve through the final corner.
Tickford wildcard Lochie Dalton (1:50.5479s) jumped to top spot despite a big slide at the last corner, ahead of Jack Le Brocq, Will Davison and De Pasquale. Nick Percat, Cooper Murray and Wood went even quicker, while Cameron Hill suffered a snap through Turn 8 and ran off the road.
Percat lowered the benchmark to a 1:50.0118s, before De Pasquale smashed the existing Gen3 practice/qualifying lap record with a 1:49.4308s. It was a case of feast and famine for Team 18, with the David Reynolds/Lee Holdsworth entry sidelined with electrical gremlins after a stall in pit lane.
Randle (1:49.7892s) and Richie Stanaway (1:49.8541s) joined De Pasquale in the 1:49s as the balance of the field returned to pit lane with five minutes remaining.
Payne moved to second with a 1:49.6047s, before Brown punched in a 1:48.9957s to put over 0.3s on teammate Feeney. Waters was briefly third with a 1:49.4069s, before teammate Randle edged ahead with a 1:49.3794s.
Co-drivers will kick off Saturday's action with Practice 4 at 9:50am local/10:20am AEST, followed by Practice 5 at 12:00pm local/12:30pm AEST.
All drivers will take to the track for Boost Mobile Qualifying at 3:05pm local/3:35pm AEST, which will set the running order for the Boost Mobile Top Ten Shootout at 4:50pm local/5:20pm AEST.
