McLaughlin on pole for final V8s race

Volvo sensation Scott McLaughlin will start the final V8 Supercars race of 2014 from pole position after a blistering qualifying lap at the Sydney 500.

The Kiwi was fastest in Sunday’s Top 10 shootout and ends the year tied with champion-elect Jamie Whincup for most poles this season – 10.

“I’m pretty stoked,” said McLaughlin, who scored a bonus $10,000 for the feat.

“I put it all on the line – it was pretty fun.”

Light rain started to fall as McLaughlin went out for his hot lap, but it held off long enough for all 10 cars to run.

The 21-year-old will start Sunday’s 250km race on the front row alongside Holden’s Garth Tander, with the Commodores of Shane van Gisbergen and James Courtney third and fourth.

An uncharacteristic error from Whincup ended his hope of pole position number 11, his time wiped after hopping a kerb. Ford’s David Reynolds was penalised for the same reason.

The pair will start ninth and 10th.

While Whincup wrapped up the 2014 championship last round in Phillip Island, he’ll have to wait until after the Sunday’s race to officially claim the title.

It will be his sixth crown in seven years – a feat no other driver has achieved in Australian touring car history.

To mark the milestone, the Red Bull Racing star has donned a special gold-coloured helmet.

A podium finish on Sunday will also see him break teammate Craig Lowndes’ record tally of 135.

Lowndes, who’s driving with suspected broken ribs after a heavy shunt during Saturday practice, missed out on the Top 10 Shootout and will start the race from 18th.

Marcos Ambrose, back in a V8 Supercar after a nine-year stint in America’s NASCAR, qualified 23rd.

Sunday’s 74-lap race begins at 3.40pm – and it could be a wet affair, with thunderstorms forecast for the afternoon.

TOP 10 GRID POSITIONS

Scott McLaughlin (Volvo) – 1:28.3139

Garth Tander (Holden) – 1:28.3458

Shane van Gisbergen (Holden) – 1:28.5215

James Courtney (Holden) – 1:28.5640

Mark Winterbottom (Ford) – 1:28.7616

Rick Kelly (Nissan) – 1:28.9329

Scott Pye (Ford) – 1:29.0973

Chaz Mostert (Ford) – 1:29.1664

Jamie Whincup (Holden) – No time (kerb)

David Reynolds (Ford) – No time (kerb)

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