ADELAIDE, South Australia — Report by Race Chaser Online Managing Editor Jacob Seelman — Robert Cianflone/Getty Images AsiaPac photo —
Shane van Gisbergen topped all comers during the final practice session before Saturday’s opening race of the 2015 V8 Supercars Chamionship on the streets of Adelaide, the Clipsal 500.
The flying Kiwi posted his fastest lap with three minutes remaining in the 20-minute session and went unchallenged over the final stretch, with his circuit of 1:21.234 seconds outgunning last year’s Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000 champion, Chaz Mostert.
Mostert was second-fastest of the drivers who took time during the warm-up session, setting a lap just 0.102 seconds off of SvG’s pace at 1:21.336 seconds.
Fabian Coulthard, Craig Lowndes and a surprising Lee Holdsworth, in his first race weekend for Charlie Schwerkolt Racing under the Prodrive Racing Australia banner, rounded out the top five on the practice charts.
Six-time series champion Jamie Whincup, who will start on pole for both 125 km sprint races on Saturday, slotted in seventh-quick overall.
The practice pace was over a minute per lap off of Whincup’s record-shattering pole time from qualifying, with most teams concentrating on race setups and long runs in the hot conditions.
Notables outside the top ten included the Volvo of Scott McLaughlin, who ended up just 15th-fastest but will start in the top five in both Saturday races, the Holden Racing Team duo of Garth Tander (17th) and James Courtney (21st) and DJR Team Penske’s Marcos Ambrose (24th). Ambrose will also start 24th in both Race One and Race Two, coincidentally.
Tander and David Reynolds both had runoffs during practice, while Lucas Dumbrell Motorsport pilot Nick Percat missed most of the session with a starter motor failure.
The first of Saturday’s two 125 km races goes green at 1:45 p.m. local time.
RESULTS: V8 Supercars Championship; Final Practice; Clipsal 500 Adelaide; Adelaide Street Circuit
- Shane van Gisbergen
- Chaz Mostert
- Fabian Coulthard
- Craig Lowndes
- Lee Holdsworth
- James Moffat
- Jamie Whincup
- Michael Caruso
- Jason Bright
- Mark Winterbottom
- Todd Kelly
- Dale Wood
- Will Davison
- Tim Slade
- Scott McLaughlin
- Rick Kelly
- Garth Tander
- Ash Walsh
- David Reynolds
- Andre Heimgartner
- James Courtney
- David Wall
- Nick Percat
- Marcos Ambrose
- Tim Blanchard
