Reynolds makes good with first Gen3 Mustang Pole

By Timothy Neal

Date posted: March 12, 2023

David Reynolds backed up his Q2 session by taking a last gasp pole for Race 2 of the Newcastle 500, the first ever Gen3 Supercars pole for a Mustang.

A late swoop with a purple last sector snatched pole by the barest of margins from Mostert, with a 1:12.081.

The session was marred by the first serious Gen3 damage of the season, with Courtney going into the turn 7 wall.

The second Shootout of the weekend got underway with Reynoldsl Golding, Van Gisbergen, Slade, Mostert, Hazelwood, Courtney, Le Brocq, and the first shooter, Feeney.

The #88 Triple Eight youngster came out to try and put yesterday’s podium loss behind him, and posted a first up 1:12.740, with Le Brocq next up in the MSR #34 Camaro.

Going around a whisker slower than Feeney, Le Brocq went +0.218 slower than Feeney, with some oil on track at turn 7 causing slight issue, a bad omen for Edwards next-up Tickford charger.

Courtney went into the concrete wall as the third driver out, with the first genuine damage to a Gen3 being inflicted all weekend, causing doubt to the #5 Tickford’s Race 2 start.

James Courtney was the unfortunate recipient of the turn 7 wall in the second Newcastle 500 shootout. EDGE Photography

The Snowy River Mustangs Race 2 participation will essentially come down to a matter of enough parts, with Tim Edwards sure to be asking some favours down pit lane.

Hazelwood was first out after the brief carnage, and a few lock-ups and wall brushes caught him out to put him in provisional P3.

Mostert then tore out of the blocks in the #25 Mustang, going top with greens on the rear and used fronts, posting a 1:12.087, as Slade looked to answer as the sixth runner.

Slade went into P2 with a couple of strong opening sectors, with Shane van Gisbergen set to answer Mostert’s time.

SVG was level pegging with the WAU #25, but couldn’t quite top him, falling +0.26s short.

Golding came out as the second Nulon Camaro and was slippery in the rear early, but lit up the second sector to go P2 by a meagre tenth of a second.

The declared Race 1 winner in Waters was the penultimate shooter, putting in the fastest first sector to oust SVG for provisional P3, despite a slight lockup on turn 6.

Q2’s top runner was the last out in the #26 Camaro, and put in a sensational last sector to post a 1:12.081 to top Mostert and Golding, grabbing his second career Newcastle pole.

Reynolds celebrates his second Newcastle career pole with the Penrite Racing team. EDGE Photography

Race 2 Top 10 Shootout results

David Reynolds 1:12.0813

Chaz Mostert 1:12.0871 +0.0058

James Golding 1:12.1905 +0.1092

Cameron Waters 1:12.2955 +0.2142

Shane van Gisbergen 1:12.3485 +0.2672

Tim Slade 1:12.6268 +0.5455

Broc Feeney 1:12.7401 +0.658

Jack Le Brocq 1:12.9583 +0.877

Todd Hazelwood 1:13.1039 +1.022

2023 Newcastle 500 schedule

Race 2 (95 laps) 15.20-17.20

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Reynolds makes good with first Gen3 Mustang Pole

The second Shootout of the weekend got underway with Reynoldsl Golding, Van Gisbergen, Slade, Mostert, Hazelwood, Courtney, Le Brocq, and the first shooter, Feeney.

2023 Newcastle 500 schedule

Friday, March 10

Saturday, March 11

Sunday, March 12

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