Ford star Scott McLaughlin has continued his sparkling from, grabbing pole position for Saturday’s 200km Supercars race with a record-breaking lap in Townsville.

The DJR Team Penske driver’s time of one minute and 12.0731 seconds eclipsed Jamie Whincup’s benchmark from last year.

McLaughlin’s sizzling qualifying performance secured his eighth pole pole of the season as he put clear daylight between himself Holden’s Whincup, who will start from second on the grid.

“It’s the best place to start,” McLaughlin said.

“I love qualifying and I always have, but I’m just lucky I’ve got a good car underneath me and a great team behind me.

Whincup was more than two tenths of a second slower than McLaughlin.

Prodrive Racing Australia duo Chaz Mostert and Cameron Waters were third and fourth respectively in a clear sign the team has put its last-round woes from Darwin behind them.

Prodrive will have three drivers in the first three rows with Mark Winterbottom qualifying sixth fastest.

Defending series champion Shane van Gisbergen will start from fifth on the grid as he and teammate Whincup hunt for repeat success after winning one race each at the Reid Park street circuit last year.

Saturday’s 70-lap race starts at 4.10pm.