Brown/Pye on pole for Sandown 500
WILL Brown has made it back-to-back Sandown 500 pole positions after surviving conditions that tripped up several rivals.
With championship rival Chaz Mostert starting down in sixth, it shapes as a big opportunity for the Triple Eight star – and he might have had Mostert’s teammate to thank in part.
“I knew it’d just be (about) who didn’t stuff up today, so I was trying not to screw it up,” Brown told Fox Sports.
THE GRID: Where every car will start the 2024 Sandown 500
After a full day of wet running, the circuit was close-ish to dry for the Top 10 Shootout but not enough to make it smooth sailing for the pole contenders.
The Shootout started in spectacular fashion with Anton De Pasquale having a moment as he came through Turn 11 to start his fast lap.
Despite losing momentum for the run onto the pit straight, De Pasquale laid down an impressive 1m10.3564s that would prove too good for subsequent runners Andre Heimgartner, Richie Stanaway and Brodie Kostecki.
“Nearly spun starting my lap! I don’t think I’ve ever done that before,” reacted De Pasquale.
Heimgartner and Kostecki were left to rue time lost through the final sector that otherwise would have had them ahead of the Shell Ford.
Brown was the first to knock De Pasquale off top spot, lowering the marker by a tenth.
His time should have been eclipsed by Cam Waters but for a slide wide at Turn 11 for the Monster Mustang.
Ryan Wood too looked poised to challenge for provisional pole until having a scary ride through the Esses, sending the #2 Ford onto the inside grass – some fine car control keeping him out of the fence but not able to escape the gravel.
“It’s one of those things. I went in with the mindset that I’d have a crack and I did, and it felt alright, but I asked a bit too much,” said Wood.
“Little bit gutted. Sorry to the crew, sorry to Fabs (co-driver Fabian Coulthard), but we’ve got a long way tomorrow.”
To the probable delight of Brown, Wood dragged plenty of dirt onto the track as he rejoined past the exit of Turn 9.
Whether that contributed to what was to come, the Kiwis continued to struggle as Matt Payne unusually failed to extract pace from his Penrite entry. It marks the third successive time he’s been outqualified by teammate Stanaway.
Mostert was dejected with fifth, which became sixth when qualifying fast man Broc Feeney slotted in just ahead.
After all that, the front five rows of the grid will line up: Brown and Waters, De Pasquale and Kostecki, Feeney and Mostert, Stanaway and Heimgartner, Payne and Wood.
Just one Supercars session is now to come before tomorrow afternoon’s race, with a 20-minute Warm-Up scheduled for 9:55am.
RESULTS: Supercars Top 10 Shootout, Sandown 500
PosNo.DriversTeamCarTime187Will Brown / Scott PyeTriple EightChevrolet1m10.2549s26Cam Waters / James MoffatTickfordFord+0.0647s311Anton De Pasquale / Tony D’AlbertoDJRFord+0.1015s41Brodie Kostecki / Todd HazelwoodErebusChevrolet+0.2760s588Broc Feeney / Jamie WhincupTriple EightChevrolet+0.3968s625Chaz Mostert / Lee HoldsworthWAUFord+0.5258s726Richie Stanaway / Dale WoodGroveFord+0.6748s88Andre Heimgartner / Declan FraserBJRChevrolet+0.8637s919Matt Payne / Garth TanderGroveFord+1.4139s102Ryan Wood / Fabian CoulthardWAUFord+10.6568s
