Flying Kiwi Shane van Gisbergen made the most of defending champion Jamie Whincup’s rare qualifying fizzer to claim pole position for the opening V8 Supercars race in Townsville.
Just as he did in Adelaide’s opening round, van Gisbergen (one minute, 12.51 seconds) revelled on the street circuit and dominated the top 10 shootout to claim his third pole of the year.
“It’s been a struggle the last few rounds but looks like we have got it right now,” van Gisbergen said.
Series leader Whincup will not feature in the top 10 of a race grid for the first time this season after bombing out at Townsville qualifying.
The four-time V8 champion struggled on hard compound tyres, managing only the 16th fastest time (1:14.03).
Whincup’s Holden teammate – and nearest championship rival Craig Lowndes (1:13.91, 12th fastest) – also missed out on the top 10.
Whincup has enjoyed eight pole positions this season, ensuring he has had six wins in the last three rounds alone.
And he was not expected to lose his Midas touch in Townsville where he has enjoyed five victories in eight starts.
However, Whincup and Lowndes’ Holden team never came to grips with the hard tyres on the tough street circuit.
“We were hoping for a miracle in qualifying but unfortunately we were not able to do it,” Whincup said.
“But don’t write off our weekend just yet.”
Van Gisbergen was fastest ahead of Ford’s Will Davison (1:12.7512) and Holden’s Fabian Coulthard (1:12.7573).
The first of the weekend’s two 200km races starts at 1535 AEST on Saturday.
Meanwhile, former MotoGP champion Casey Stoner’s frustrating run in the second-tier Dunlop Series continued when a punctured tyre ensured he finished last in an incident packed 14-lap race.
The 11th fastest qualifier, Stoner tangled with Taz Douglas on lap nine in a squeeze that developed when the race re-started after Sam Walter’s Holden found the wall.
Stoner’s best finish in his six races to date is 14th.
Pole-sitter Steve Owen hung on to win – his first in three years.
Stoner’s Holden team Triple Eight Race Engineering boss Roland Dane revealed on Saturday he was not tempted to ask his star charge to feature as an endurance co-driver for either Whincup or Lowndes this season.
“It was totally his call whether he did that or not and he has not said anything,” he said.
“I would say he has got enough to do at the moment.”