Wildcard tops wet additional driver session

Wildcard runner Shae Davies sprung a surprise by topping the additional driver practice session at a drenched Winton Motor Raceway.

MW Motorsport’s Davies is one of three wildcards in the field this weekend, driving the same Nissan he is campaigning in the Dunlop Super2 Series.

While Davies does not have a co-drive in the Pirtek Enduro Cup, he was allowed to take part in the session to prepare for the weekend.

His Super2 team-mate Jack Le Brocq, driving Todd Kelly’s Nissan, sat atop the order for much of the 30 minutes before Davies’ late lap.

The best time of 1:45.76s proved more than 20s slower than the practice record thanks to the heavily wet conditions.

Davies had endured a wild start to the session – slipping off at high-speed on the run to Turn 1 in the early minutes.

Richard Muscat ended up third aboard James Moffat’s GRM Holden, while Luke Youlden (#9 Erebus Holden) and Tony D’Alberto (#12 Shell Ford) rounded out the top five.

Ash Walsh was sixth in Tim Slade’s BJR Holden despite running off the road at Turn 3 and triggering the red flags with seven minutes remaining.

Others to have offs in the tricky conditions included Muscat, Dean Fiore and Todd Hazelwood, who all came off at Turn 1, and Steven Richards, who tested the grass at Turn 5.

Macauley Jones ended up seventh in Nick Percat’s Holden ahead of Dean Canto, who was both eighth and ninth thanks to driving Prodrive’s #5 and #6 Fords.

Bathurst legend turned television commentator Greg Murphy sat eighth in Alex Rullo’s Holden when he pitted in the closing stages.

“I’m a little disappointed. Something happened there and it’s got water somewhere, maybe the ignition and started misfiring in the end,” he said.

“I didn’t get to have a play towards the end. We made a couple of changes and I think the car was a bit better.

“When you’re in these conditions and you can get in a groove, it’s really good fun.”

The first full field practice session will take place at 12:35pm local time.

CLICK HERE for the full additional driver practice results.