Brodie Kostecki in ominous form to round out Friday practice
#17 Ford more than two tenths faster than chasing field in Ipswich
All three manufacturers inside top five at Queensland Raceway
Brodie Kostecki has sent a big statement to the field in Ipswich, putting more than two tenths of a second on the field in the final practice session of the Century Batteries Ipswich Super 440.
Kostecki even admitted that there was more to find, having made a mistake on his fastest lap, however the #17 Shell V-Power Ford's marker of a 1:08.7032s was by far the fastest time of the day.
There was plenty of drama early in the session, beginning with Jackson Walls having a big off at Turn 2 as he returned to the scene of his sole Super2 victory last season, but he got back on the circuit without damage.
Aaron Seton would have an even bigger off at Turn 3, bringing out the red flag after six minutes as the #30 Matt Stone Racing Camaro would get bogged deep in the run-off at the end of the biggest braking zone on the circuit.
Though Seton would return to the circuit, Will Brown's session was over before it truly begun, a suspected gearbox issue parking the brand-new #888 Ford after two laps out of and back into the pits.
Chaz Mostert was fastest at the time of the red flag on a 1:09.8278s, though Kostecki and Broc Feeney had also spent time at the top, whilst Rylan Gray was in fourth, the foursome covered by 0.0901s.
After the session resumed, Jayden Ojeda and Declan Fraser went 1-2 for PremiAir Racing, the rookie just 0.0041s quicker on a 1:09.7759s. Erebus rookie Jobe Stewart then leapt to the top on a 1:09.7011s. before having a hair-raising ride through Turn 1 the following time by.
That was quickly usurped by Mostert, who set a 1:09.6353s, before going even quicker on a 1:09.4620s to put more than two tenths on the field.
Tickford wildcard Ben Gomersall then turned heads to vault into third on a 1:09.7065s, before going even faster on a 1:09.5345s to go second, just 0.0725s behind Mostert.
Cooper Murray then went third in the second of the Erebus Camaros, proving Stewart's marker was no fluke, before they were split by Rylan Gray and Kostecki's Shell V-Power Fords.
The final qualifying simulations saw frantic activity in the final minutes, with no less than four drivers vaulting to the top on their final qualifying runs.
Feeney, Practice 1 fast man Kai Allen, Kostecki, and Anton De Pasquale all went to the top of the timesheets, but the final lap saw Feeney set a 1:08.9223s, but Kostecki blew that marker out of the water on a 1:08.7032s.
Mostert would end up third on a 1:09.0833s, with Repco Sprint Cup leader Matt Payne making it back-to-back fourth place finishes.
De Pasquale, Allen, Murray, James Golding, Thomas Randle and Ryan Wood rounded out the top 10.
Saturday's action begins with back-to-back Boost Mobile Qualifying sessions, commencing at 10:00am local time.
