Ford’s Cameron Waters has smashed the Bathurst 1000 qualifying lap record to claim Supercars pole for Sunday’s great race at Mount Panorama.

Touted as a genuine contender to win the 161-lap race for the first time, Waters dominated the top-10 shootout on Saturday in his Mustang.

His time of 2 minutes 3.559 seconds eclipsed former Tickford teammate Chaz Mostert’s lap of 2.03.789 set last year.

It was Waters’ fifth career pole, setting him up for a tilt at winning with star co-driver Will Davison, a two-time Bathurst 1000 winner.

The 26-year-old Waters pipped three-time champion Scott McLaughlin, who has stamped his mark as one of the Supercars’ greatest qualifiers.

Chaz Mostert was the fastest Holden driver in third to start alongside Nick Percart on the second row of the grid.

BATHURST 1000 TOP-10 SHOOTOUT

1. Cameron Waters (Ford)

2. Scott McLaughlin (Ford)

3. Chaz Mostert (Holden)

4. Nick Percat (Holden)

5. Shane van Gisbergen (Holden)

6. Lee Holdsworth (Ford)

7. Anton de Pasquale (Holden)

8. Fabian Coulthard (Ford)

9. James Courtney (Ford)

10. Jamie Whincup (Holden)