Vaughan quickest in opening Super2 practice
Brad Vaughan has survived an off to set the pace in first Dunlop Series practice at the Bosch Power Tools Perth SuperSprint.
Tickford Racing Super2 rookie Vaughan clocked a 55.9109s to lead the first Supercar running of the weekend.
The 2022 Super3 champion edged Walkinshaw Andretti United’s Ryan Wood by 0.0302s in the 40-minute session.
Vaughan set his time prior to an off at Turn 7, with the South Aussie driver managing to avoid stranding his #5 Ford Mustang.
The final minutes of the session were compromised by a yellow flag for the stricken Nash Morris, who brought his #67 Commodore to a halt at Turn 6.
Four different teams were represented in the top four, with series leader Zak Best (Anderson Motorsport) and Aaron Love (Blanchard Racing Team) third and fourth.
Zach Bates made it a WAU two-five result, with Race 1 winner Cooper Murray sixth in his #88 Eggleston Motorsport Commodore.
Murray's teammate Kai Allen recorded the most laps in the session with 35, with Murray turning in 34.
It was a different story for their Super3 teammate Matthew McCutcheon, who suffered a power steering pump failure in his #97 Commodore.
McCutcheon picked up the drama in the early minutes, and returned to clock 12 laps and the 24th fastest time.
Cameron McLeod was the quickest Super3 runner in 13th overall, and was 0.6029s off Vaughan’s pace.
Cameron Crick set the early running in his Eggleston Commodore with a 56.6107s, with Vaughan slotting into second.
Allen jumped to the top shortly afterwards with a 56.3234s, with Wood fired in a string of fast laps.
The WAU rookie clocked a 56.1272s, 56.0496s and a 55.9411s to consolidate his position as the quickest driver.
Vaughan improved with a 56.0141s before joining Wood in the sub 56-second times with a 55.9109s.
That remained the benchmark despite Vaughan running off into the Turn 7 sand, an error replicated earlier by Brad Jones Racing’s Lochie Dalton.
Best was third, 0.1729s down in third, with Love, Bates, Murray, Allen, Jay Hanson, Aaron Seton and Dalton rounding out the top 10.
Dunlop Series drivers will return to CARCO.com.au Raceway for Practice 2 at 1:25pm local time/3:35pm AEST.
Tickets for this weekend’s Bosch Power Tools Perth SuperSprint are on sale on Supercars.com and Ticketek.com.
