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Reynolds fastest in tight qualifying 

By Thomas Miles

Date posted: March 12, 2023

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. 

2023 Newcastle 500 race 2 qualifying results

1: David Reynolds 1:11.4872

2: Cameron Waters +0.0147

3: James Golding +0.0456

4: Shane van Gisbergen +0.1442

5: Tim Slade +0.2364

6: Chaz Mostert +0.2855

7: Todd Hazelwood +0.2927

8: James Courtney +0.3957

9: Jack Le Brocq +0.4001

10: Broc Feeney +0.4184

11: Will Davison +0.4619

12: Matthew Payne +0.4722

13: Andre Heimgartner +0.4880

14: Mark Winterbottom +0.5477

15: Brodie Kostecki +0.5595

16: Thomas Randle +0.6151

17: Will Brown +0.6361

18: Scott Pye +0.6365

19: Bryce Fullwood +0.6379

20: Nick Percat +0.6601

21: Anton De Pasquale +0.7002

22: Cameron Hill +0.7214

23: Macauley Jones +0.8227

24: Declan Fraser +0.8266

25: Jack Smith +1.4589

2023 Newcastle 500 schedule

Friday, March 10

Practice 1 – 1: A. Heimgartner 1:11.9958 2: W. Brown +0.1813 3: D. Reynolds +0.2021

Practice 2 – 1: S. van Gisbergen 1:11.7555 2: W. Davison +0.0374 3: B. Feeney +0.1167

Practice 3 – 1 Brodie Kostecki 1:11.4068; 2 Shane van Gisbergen +0.0557; 3 Chaz Mostert +0.0760

Saturday, March 11

Qualifying 1 – 1: Kostecki 1:11.131. 2: Mostert 1:11.358 3: VanGisbergen 1:11.435

Top 10 Shootout – 1: Kostecki 1:11.8481 2: Waters +0.1520 3: Feeney +0.1527

Race 1 (95 laps) – 1: Van Gisbergen 2: Feeney +14.740 3: Waters +19.746

Sunday, March 12

Qualifying – 1: Reynolds 1:11.4872; 2: Waters +0.0147; 3: Golding +0.0456

Top 10 Shootout – 12.35-13.00

Race 2 (95 laps) 15.20-17.20

For more of the latest motorsport news, pick up the latest issue of AUTO ACTION.

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