Supercars series leader Fabian Coulthard has set a new track record to claim pole position for the Perth round’s opening race on Saturday.
The Ford gun clocked 54.66s, shaving 0.02s off DJR Team Penske teammate Scott McLaughlin’s fastest lap mark set in Saturday’s practice session.
McLaughlin completed a DJR Team Penske front row lockout of the grid when he was second fastest.
Holden teammates Jamie Whincup and defending series champion Shane van Gisbergen completed the top four spots.
It was the eighth career pole for Coulthard but his first since last year’s opening round in Adelaide.
He easily set a new qualifying lap record, eclipsing six-time series champion Whincup’s 54.98 in 2011.
Coulthard could not have timed his record breaking form better.
Famous team boss – US motorsport giant Roger Penske – was track-side to savour the new mark.
Penske – America’s most successful motorsport racing team owner – is in Perth for his annual business trip to Australia and was seen delivering an inspirational speech in the team garage on Friday.
It seemed to work with Coulthard sending an ominous warning ahead of the opening 120km race.
“It’s good to have Roger in town and hopefully we can celebrate with him later on,” Coulthard said.
“It’s rare to have everyone from the US here.
“I am glad they are here to share it with us and to get the pep talk was awesome.
“You can see the difference in the team.”
Van Gisbergen did well to qualify on the grid’s second row after his quick thinking avoided a disastrous qualifying crash on the 2.4km circuit’s final corner.
Race officials are investigating Nissan entries Simona de Silvestro and Michael Caruso for blocking on turn seven after almost being rear ended by a flying van Gisbergen.
The Nissan drivers were almost idle as they warmed their tyres ahead of the final corner, unaware that van Gisbergen was coming hard from behind at more than 250km/h.
Van Gisbergen narrowly missed the Nissans when he was forced to steer his Holden off the track and into a sand trap.
Van Gisbergen’s Red Bull Racing team manager Mark Dutton was furious.
“It was not standard blocking. It was very dangerous,” he said.
“It was quite stupid. They should be disqualified from qualifying, it’s that big a deal.
“It’s up to the officials now. It’s their job. We will carry on.”