The dramatic Nissan revival continues to stun Supercars pundits after Rick Kelly’s ascent to pole position in Darwin.

Kelly will start at the front of the grid for Sunday’s race at Hidden Valley Raceway after qualifying fastest.

After just sneaking into Top-10 Shootout, Kelly put in a blistering lap of 1min 5.82sec to edge out championship leader Scott McLaughlin in second.

It is the veteran’s first pole since last year, which also came at the Northern Territory circuit.

The 35-year-old ensured McLaughlin’s hopes of being the first person to win the Triple Crown in its 12-year history ended after the Ford gun won Saturday’s 42-lap race.

Kelly was almost lost for words when speaking after the qualifying.

“This one is completely unexpected. To get pole is massive,” Kelly said.

“(Saturday) didn’t go so great for us so we have to tune the car up for the race now we’re starting somewhere really good and make the most of it.”

Kelly Racing has enjoyed a golden run of form since Nissan announced in May they would be ending their partnership at the end of the season.

But since that shock announcement, Kelly has had his best run in years, highlighted by winning his first race in seven years after a memorable victory at Winton.

Red Bull Holden’s Jamie Whincup will start on the second row after qualifying third fastest as he looks to turn his flagging championship defence around.

Whincup hasn’t had a podium finish since the Tasmanian round at Symmons Plains in April.

Erebus’s David Reynolds and fellow Holden driver Nick Percat round out the top-five.

McLaughlin will be gunning for his seventh win of the season as he looks to extend his 143-point advantage in the championship when the 70-lap race gets underway at 2pm.