Saving his best for last, Supercars series leader Scott McLaughlin has claimed yet another pole position by topping qualifying for the Ipswich SuperSprint opening race at Queensland Raceway.
McLaughlin left it until the dying moments of the 15-minute session to clock a scorching one minute, 08.50 second lap and pip fellow Ford gun Chaz Mostert by 0.17 of a second.
It was the ninth pole of the year for McLaughlin ahead of the season’s 19th race.
McLaughlin’s teammate Fabian Coulthard was third quickest to complete a Ford 1-2-3 on Saturday.
Reigning Bathurst champion David Reynolds was the leading Holden driver in fourth, before the opening 39-lap race starting at 1615 AEST.
Mostert faces a nervous wait after stewards confirmed the Ford driver was under investigation for impeding Holden’s Shane van Gisbergen during qualifying.
McLaughlin is aiming to extend his series lead at his home track this weekend after arriving at Ipswich with just a 131-point buffer over van Gisbergen, who qualified eighth fastest on Saturday.
The early signs are good as McLaughlin looks to overcome a disappointing last round in Townsville.
“It sounds crazy but it felt like one of my best laps of the year,” McLaughlin said of his qualifying effort.
“That one felt really good. We weren’t amazing at practice … but the car just made a massive leap forward then.
“It was about doing the right lap and executing it as best I can but I felt that was all that was left in it.”
Saturday’s practice pace-setter, seven-time series champ Jamie Whincup, qualified sixth fastest.
Whincup had hoped to make his presence felt in Ipswich after resurrecting his 2018 title hopes with a win and podium at the last Townsville round.
Whincup is fourth in the standings, just 403 points behind leader McLaughlin.
Supercars great Craig Lowndes had to be content with 10th in qualifying as he begins his swansong after announcing a fortnight ago he would retire from full-time racing at season’s end.
The top 10 in qualifying were separated by just half a second.
