The rain gods have delivered new life into the Supercars title race, with three of Shane van Gisbergen’s top title contenders to start in the front two rows at the Sandown 500.
David Reynolds won pole on a wild and windy day in Melbourne, ahead of Jamie Whincup in his red-hot Red Bull Holden Racing Team Commodore.
“It was a bizarre, crazy day,” Reynolds, competing again with year’s Bathurst champion Luke Youlden.
“Things organically happened today.
“The last couple of laps, these tyres were going off. I’m ever so grateful to have pole.”
DJR Team Penske’s chief title hope Scott McLaughlin is joined by teammate Fabian Coulthard on the second row.
But there was no place in the top 10 for van Gisbergen, who struggled to match his teammate’s pace at the Home of Horsepower, and will start from the sixth row in the first race of the Enduro Cup.
On Saturday, qualifying was contested over three stages: a regular session for main drivers, then a co-drivers race, which set a grid for the regular series drivers in a final 20-lap race.
The biggest drama came in the co-drivers race, when the heavens opened just seconds after the release of a safety car.
Until that point, Jamie Whincup and Paul Dumbrell had dominated the weekend and looked to be cruising to another pole position.
But they – and most of the field – bottled a big call when the rain and hail came down, coming in for wet tyres.
When the shower stopped just minutes later, the teams that had the courage to stay out on slicks, including both DJR Team Penske Falcons, were able to get home ahead of those that had pitted.
Dumbrell finished 11th and Supercars debutant Earl Bamber, partnering van Gisbergen, made it home in 16th.
Whincup wasn’t to be denied when he jumped back in the cockpit for the final race, using the superior pace of the ZB Commodore to storm through the field.
Whincup and Dumbrell had previously taken turns to lower the lap record in practice and qualifying this weekend.
The two Holdens on the front row are the only Commodores in the top seven.
Tickford pair Mark Winterbottom and Chaz Mostert cashed in on their decision not to pit during the co-drivers race to finished fifth and seventh.
