Allen fronts competitive Super2 practice
Reigning champion Kai Allen is the driver to beat after topping a tight Dunlop Series final practice in Townsville.
Unlike the morning session, the fight for first was anyone’s guess until the chequered flag as drivers found more pace with each lap in the final 15 minutes.
But in the end Allen’s class prevailed as he took P1 with a 1:14.7195.
Byt less than two tenths away were four cars spearheaded by fast rookie Rylan Gray and Zach Bates, while Jobe Stewart and Cooper Murray also displayed hot pace.
Just three and a half tenths covered the top 10 as a fascinating fight for pole looms.
Leading Super2 was Thomas Maxwell, three tenths clear of Cody Burcher.
It was tight and fast instantly with five cars straight into the 1m16s led by Jobe Stewart
Eggleston Motorsport then found more pace with Murray sneaking 0.07s ahead of Allen
Rookie Rylan Gray was also on the pace, holding third before the experienced Jack Perkins went ahead in the Peter Janson/Larry Perkins 1979 liveried Mustang.
At the six minute mark Bates blew everyone away with the first 1m15s.
Bates’ 1:15.7210 was four tenths clear of Murray and the WAU driver carried on with his second lap an even better 1:15.7060.
Both Perkins and Vaughan shot into the top three, but remained in the 1m16s threshold.
Having been knocked from first to fourth, in pursuit of more speed Murray climbed the turn 5 kerb, which sent the Eggleston Motorsport Commodore to the grass at the following right hander. He also had a big lockup at turn 1.
McLeod had to utilise the escape road at the Turn 7-8 chicane, while Rubin Goodall went straight ahead at Turn 3.
With 18 minutes left Vaughan set a purple first sector and new personal best and stayed third as Murray rose to second, reducing Bates’ advantage to 0.2570s.
The Tickford driver was then displaced by the experienced Fiore, who initially rose from 22nd to fifth and then found more time with each passing lap.
He then put the #111 Mustang up to third before going faster on the third lap of the run and sneaking past Murray by 0.02s.
But this was the first indication that happy hour had arrived with many changes at the top inside the final 15 minutes and Fiore slipped back to 22nd.
Jack Perkins was seventh and the second fastest Ford in the Peter Janson/Larry Perkins 1979 livery. Image: DMAC Photography
Cameron was 17th, but had purple pace in the first and third sectors to lower the benchmark to 1:15.3943.
In his wake was teammate Mason Kelly, who made it a Kelly Racing 1-2. Their time at the top did not last long as Jobe Stewart snuck past Cameron by 0.0327s.
The Image Racing driver found even more time on his second lap to be the first in the 1m14s window, but it was not enough to hold off fellow Mount Gambier driver Allen.
A fast middle sector saw Allen edge 0.03s ahead of both Stewart and Murray.
The reigning champion and Bates then traded times in P1 with only 0.0580s splitting them after their first stoush.
Bates then landed a smashing first sector, but lost time later in his follow-up lap.
Meanwhile, Murray had to settle for fourth after going straight on at Turn 7.
Gray was the big mover in the final minutes, surging to second splitting Allen and Bates.
But the #1 kept finding performance and found immense speed in the final two sectors to record a 1:14.7195.
This proved to be the final statement in a hectic end to the second and last practice session for the Dunlop Series.
The field returns with qualifying at 9.40 AEST on Saturday morning.
Image: DMAC Photography
Dunlop Series Townsville Practice 2 results
Supercars Townsville 500 schedule
Friday, July 5
12.15-12.55: Practice 1
15.10-15.50: Practice 2
Saturday, July 6
10.15-10.30: Race 13 Qualifying
12.05-12.35: Top 10 Shootout
14.40-16.48: Race 13 88 laps
Sunday, July 7
10.05-10.20: Race 14 Qualifying
12.05-12.35: Top 10 Shootout
14.40-16.48: Race 13 88 laps
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