Fabian Coulthard has snatched pole for the main Clipsal 500 V8 Supercars race in Adelaide by the tiniest of margins with a sterling top-ten shootout drive.

The DJR Team Penske man will start alongside fellow Ford driver Chaz Mostert after edging him by just six thousandth of a second in qualifying.

The result could be the closest-ever qualifying win, with Mark Skaife telling Fox Sports he believed it to be the smallest shootout margin in the sport’s history.

The wafer-thin upset result was enough for DJR Team Penske’s second pole of the weekend after Scott Pye started from the front in race one.

With temperatures above 37 degrees, Coulthard pushed his Falcon to the limits around the Adelaide street circuit and jumped to the front row despite qualifying for the shootout in fifth.

Four drivers had the chance to overtake Coulthard but each failed.

Shane Van Gisbergen oversteered at a couple of corners, Jamie Whincup rued small mistakes, Scott McLaughlin couldn’t replicate his earlier qualifying pace and Mostert came astonishingly close.

Coulthard watched on as each man failed to eclipse his time and celebrated from his team garage with Penske Racing president Tim Cindric.

“It’s awesome,” he said.

“We qualified 18th yesterday and to turn it around and be P1 is awesome.

“We’ve got a long day today but it’s nice to start at the front.”

The pole position was Coulthard’s first in 54 races, dating back to Townsville in 2014.

STARTING GRID

1. Fabian Coulthard (Ford)

2. Chaz Mostert (Ford)

3. Shane Van Gisbergen (Holden)

4. Scott McLaughlin (Volvo)

5. Jamie Whincup (Holden)

6. Rick Kelly (Nissan)