Brown claims shortened and slippery final practice 

The fifth and final practice session of the 2024 Sandown 500 was another dramatic one where Will Brown emerged on top.

In a 40-minute session held under the slightest hint of sunshine, the track was still very slippery and many cars ventured off including Will Davison, who found the Turn 2 fence and brought an ending red flag.

Brown’s 1:13.0865 was a tenth clear of Grove Racing teammates Richie Stanaway and Matt Payne.

Broc Feeney ensured the two teams rounded out the top four ahead of Chaz Mostert, while Brodie Kostecki elected to spend almost the entire session in the garage and did not set a lap in anger.

Whilst the track was still wet, teams welcomed the first sight of proper sunshine at Sandown on Saturday ahead of Practice 5.

However, the track was still slippery and Slade was the first to spear off at Turns 2 and 3, while Tander had a close call at the following right hander, before another offtrack excursion moments later.

Mostert fired out of the blocks posting a 1:14.4980 first up, two tenths clear of Percat and Heimgartner.

However, it did not last long as Waters and Wood took turns in P1 and it was the WAU youngster who was the first to record a 1m13s time.

With the track getting faster, Heimgartner, Waters and Mostert all went slightly faster.

That battle was eventually won by Waters, who snuck ahead of Mostert by 0.0419s, only for Stanaway to beat them all.

As the Fords filled the top four after the first 10 minutes, the Feeney, Chahda and Percat Camaros were in the bottom 10 and all went off at the final chicane.

Wood also out braked himself at Turn 1 and used all the run off.

The session settled down until the 22 minute mark where both Le Brocq and De Pasquale came within a tenth of Stanaway.

After they came close Feeney and Mostert were able to knock off the #26 with the sun out once again.

The wildcard Matt Chahda was the first brave enough to bolt on the slicks, but to no avail.

But for the final 10 minutes the likes of waters, Randle, Love and Le Brocq had a crack on drys, but the BRT driver skated off at the first chicane.

Still on wets Stanaway and Brown found more speed, getting the time down to a flat 1m13s time.

Reynolds found the limit and went off at Dandenong Road, but managed to escape the sand trap.

Due to the sun staying out by the time the final five minutes arrived more drivers rolled out on either fresh slicks or wets to work out the crossover.

Kostecki waited until the final two minutes to record a lap and rolled out on slicks and joined the big club of turn 2 offs.

However, Davison did the same, but paid a much heavier price.

The DJR veteran lost the rear on corner entry and became a passenger as the #17 Mustang slid through the mud and head on into the tyres.

It ensured the session ended early under the red flag and Payne could not convert his fastest first sector.

Although teams dabbled to see where the crossover was, it was still too wet for the wets.

Image: DMAC Photography

Sandown 500 Practice 5 results