Randle responds with practice flyer in Townsville
Thomas Randle responds with practice flyer in Townsville
Tickford Racing drivers first and third, with Broc Feeney second again
Will Brown ninth aboard repaired car, Chaz Mostert 22nd
Thomas Randle has fired the final shot before Boost Mobile Qualifying at the NTI Townsville 500, with Ford stars firing in Practice 2.
The Tickford Racing driver emerged fastest of all after a flurry of times late in the session, with championship leader Broc Feeney, Cam Waters, Brodie Kostecki and Matt Payne rounding out the top five.
Aboard his repaired Red Bull Ampol Chevrolet, Will Brown ended up ninth, just hours after crashing at the end of the morning sessions.
As the light when green, all drivers except Brown hit the track, with the reigning champion watching on from the garage.
Kai Allen lit up the time sheets with a 1:14.1785s, with Waters (1:14.0169s), Chaz Mostert (1:13.9735s) and Jack Le Brocq (1:13.9210s) all jumping ahead.
Team 18 showed initial pace, David Reynolds going third with a 1:13.9843s and looking to improve, only to run wide at Turn 11. Reynolds and teammate Anton De Pasquale were both in the top six, with Le Brocq quickest through the opening runs. Practice 1 fast man Ryan Wood was 13th, with Feeney 14th.
At the 12-minute mark, Blanchard Racing Team rookie Aaron Cameron wowed with a 1:13.6204s to jump from 17th to first, before De Pasquale slotted in behind with a 1:13.6752s. At the 15-minute mark, Brown rolled out, and moved to 11th through two flying laps.
Cooper Murray impressed through 17 minutes, the Erebus Motorsport driver making it a rookie one-two with a 1:13.6390s. It wasn't without incident, though, with Murray and Andre Heimgartner both surfing through the grass at the Turn 7/8 chicane.
The field returned to the track for a final crack at top spot in the final five minutes, with Richie Stanaway jumping from 22nd to fifth, and Will Davison 20th to fourth. Davison improved on his second push lap to claim top spot with a 1:13.5833s, with Brown moving from 14th to fifth.
In a final flurry of times, Randle, Feeney, Waters, Kostecki and Payne fired to the top, with Cameron and Murray dropping to 16th and 17th. De Pasquale, James Courtney, Reynolds, Brown and Macauley Jones completed the 10.
Mostert, meanwhile, was only 22nd, with James Golding and Bryce Fullwood rounding out the field.
The field returns for Boost Mobile Qualifying at 1:20am. The 35-lap Race 20 will commence at 3:40pm.
