Defending series champion Shane van Gisbergen has set a lap record to claim pole position for the Supercars season opener in Adelaide on Saturday.
The Holden Red Bull Racing star clocked a blistering one minute, 19.57 seconds ahead of Saturday’s opening 250km race.
The flying Kiwi edged out Ford’s Fabian Coulthard by just 0.04 of a second to book top spot on the grid for the 78-lap opener on the tough street circuit.
“That was pretty awesome. I knew it was going to be tight but I knew what I had to do,” said van Gisbergen, who nabbed his 16th career pole.
Van Gisbergen obliterated Coulthard’s previous Adelaide qualifying record of 1:20.01 by almost half a second.
Third on the grid will be Ford’s Chaz Mostert.
However, Coulthard’s Ford teammate Scott McLaughlin will start from sixth after his promising flying lap was scuppered when he locked up on turn nine.
“Just stuffed up into nine there. Bit disappointed,” the former Volvo driver said.
All eyes are on Ford powerhouse DJR Team Penske this year after McLaughlin linked with fellow Kiwi Coulthard following a career-high third placing last year.
Pressure has been building on DJR Team Penske – backed by US motorsport great Roger Penske – to break Holden Red Bull Racing’s vice-like championship grip.
RBR have claimed five of the past six drivers’ championships.
And Holden has won every race in Adelaide since 2013.
The race lap record (1:21.05) of six-time series champion Jamie Whincup – who qualified seventh fastest on Saturday – is expected to fall on Saturday.
Dunlop claimed “all” lap records would come under threat this year after introducing a faster – yet durable – soft control tyre this season.
Records will be broken regardless of what else happens in Saturday’s 250km opener that starts at 3.30pm AEDT.
Perth high school student Alex Rullo – just 16 – will officially become the youngest Supercars driver in Saturday’s series opener.
He will start at the back of the 26-strong field.
Nissan’s Simona de Silvestro – the first female full-time Supercars driver – will start from third-last on the grid.