Grove Racing’s plan to buck the trend has paid off with David Reynolds topping a competitive qualifying on Sunday at Newcastle.
Just 0.045s separated the top three of Reynolds, Cameron Waters and James Golding.
Grove Racing was not afraid to run out of sequence and car #26 showed strong pace on a clear track, with a 1:11.487 enough to claim provisional pole.
Reynolds set the lap with five minutes to go and stayed in the pits as the rest made a last-gasp attempt at the death.
Other drivers to be joining the trio in the shootout will be Shane van Gisbergen, Tim Slade, Chaz Mostert, Todd Hazelwood, James Courtney, Jack Le Brocq and Broc Feeney.
After a tough first day, Will Davison just missed out on the top 10, as did Saturday pole-sitter Brodie Kostecki, while Anton De Pasquale struggled and finished 21st.
Provisional race 1 winner Waters recorded the first benchmark of a 1:12.0935.
He led a Tickford top four at one stage until Brown and Mostert came within a tenth of Waters’ time.
Courtney reclaimed second as just 0.0139s split the top three of Waters, Courtney and Mostert after the first five minutes.
Brown was the only Chevrolet in the top five as Blanchard Racing Team’s Hazelwood also showed pace.
Cam Hill spun on the exit of Turn 9 after losing the rear, which scraped the tyre wall. His mistake proved costly for Mark Winterbottom, who had to abort his flyer after setting a purple first sector.
Later in the session Brown also came unstuck, locking up at the Turn 11 hairpin.
Reynolds was the only car on track at the seven minute mark and made the most of the clear track, going fastest to be the first driver into the 1:11s window.
After an eventful morning being disqualified from race 1, both Triple Eight cars stayed in the pits for the first half of the session.
Once out, only Shane van Gisbergen could register a time good enough for the top 10 as Feeney sat down in 21st following his first run.
Waters returned to P1 briefly, but was knocked off by PremiAir Racing’s James Golding by just 0.0349s.
Reynolds continued to run out of sequence and the plan paid off for a second time, beating Golding with five minutes to go despite a hairy moment at the high-speed Turn 10.
As cars were unleashed for a final fling, only 0.08s split the top three of Reynolds, Golding and Waters.
Reynolds was the only driver to remain in the pit lane at the death and his time remained at the top despite Waters and others improving.
Feeney improved 14 spots to get into seventh and dived into the pits on the bubble.
He could breath easy as drivers could not knock him out.
Reynolds looms as the driver to beat for pole when the Sunday shootout is held at 12.35 AEDT.
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