CHAZ MOSTERT FASTEST IN PHILLIP ISLAND PRACTICE

Chaz Mostert fastest in Friday Practice at Phillip Island – Photo: Dirk Klynsmith

CHAZ MOSTERT has set the pace with a sub-record lap in Friday practice at the WD-40 Phillip Island 500, round three of the Virgin Australian Supercars Championship.

In his PRA Supercheap Autos Ford Falcon FG/X, Mostert posted a best lap of 1 minute 29.5747 seconds to best Shane Van Gisbergen (Triple 8 Red Bull Holden Commodore VF) by 0.24 seconds and DJR Penske’s Scott McLaughlin (Shell V-Power FG/X) a further one tenth slower.

Michael Caruso (Nissan Motorsport Altima) finished fourth overall with PRA team mates Cameron Waters (Monster Falcon) and Mark Winterbottom (Bottle-O Ford) the next best ahead of Fabian Coulthard (Shell V-Power Ford), Lee Holdsworth (Preston Hire Racing Holden), Jamie Whincup (Red Bull VF) and David Reynolds (Erebus Penrite VF) tenth.

Tyres were the talking point at the end of the day with several suffering blow-outs including Van Gisbergen and McLaughlin’s team mate Coulthard at the end of the first session.

Craig Lowndes crashes out of Friday Practice at Phillip Island – Photo: Dirk Klynsmith

That session ended prematurely when Craig Lowndes crashed his Team Vortex Holden at the Hayshed, also due to a front tyre failure.

Lowndes missed the afternoon outing and said his team is doing really well putting the car back together. “The good thing is the main structure of the car is in good condition. I’m confident that we’ll do our best in qualifying,” he added.

Craig Lowndes assesses damage – Photo: Dirk Klynsmith

Reynolds was the fastest in practice one ahead of Van Gisbergen and carsales Racing’s Todd Kelly (Nissan Altima), Tekno Woodstock’ Will Davison (VF) and Holdsworth.