A last gasp effort by Volvo’s Scott McLaughlin has secured the young New Zealander pole position for Sunday’s 300km V8 Supercars race on the Gold Coast.

McLaughlin clocked a one minute and 11.0273 second fastest lap in the dying seconds of Sunday’s 20-minute qualifying run to grab his eighth pole of the season.

The 21-year-old will start alongside championship leader Jamie Whincup in Sunday’s race after the Holden ace clocked a 1:11.1523 on the 2.97km Surfers Paradise street circuit.

Whincup had looked set to claim his ninth pole of the campaign but had no chance to respond when McLaughlin pulled out his fastest time.

Whincup’s teammate Craig Lowndes will start from third alongside Saturday’s race winner Shane Van Gisbergen.

Ford’s Mark Winterbottom, who goes into the race trailing Whincup by 315 points in the championship standings, will start from 13th after a disappointing qualifying run.

Sunday’s 102-lap race starts at 1.55pm AEST.