Owen scores pole in Dunlop Series return

Steve Owen has made an ominous return to the Dunlop Series by taking pole ahead of his first start for MW Motorsport.

The two-time series winner, who has replaced Chaz Mostert in the #99 Sherrin Ford, proved just 0.08s quicker than Matt Stone Racing Ford driver Ash Walsh.

Owen and Walsh set their best times with 10 minutes of the half hour session remaining, knocking previous fast-man Kristian Lindbom to third.

Dale Wood was also able to edge Lindbom prior to a red flag period that set-up a sharp 1:40s final period of green flag running.

Lindbom was the only one of the top runners to return to the circuit for the restart, but failed to improve.

He will start sixth, behind Taz Douglas and Cameron Waters, thanks to a two-place grid penalty for careless driving in practice on Friday.

Filling seventh through 10th on the grid will be Daniel Gaunt, Paul Morris, Chris Pither and Casey Stoner.

The former motorcycle ace was the biggest improver during the dying seconds, jumping nine places.

The red flags flew after contact between Aaron McGill and Geoff Emery on the back straight flattened the right-rear tyre on the former’s Holden, pitching him into the Turn 7 sand trap.

A lengthy 10 minute stoppage had occurred early in the session to recover the cars of Aaren Russell from Turn 4 and Josh Hunter from Turn 7.

Russell had run through the Turn 7 sand trap on the previous lap and rejoined, while Hunter made a mistake on the same corner and clouted the fence.

Race 1 for the Dunlop Series will commence at 1250 local time.

See below for the full qualifying result

1	Sherrin Rentals MWM	Steve Owen	Ford Falson FG	0:56.8106
2	Infants Friend	Ashley Walsh	Ford Falcon FG	0:56.8908	0:00.0802
3	GB Galvanizing/Wilson Sec.	Dale Wood	Ford Falcon FG	0:56.9020	0:00.0914
4	Ozstaff Racing	Kristian Lindbom	Ford Falcon FG	0:57.0012	0:00.1906
5	Arvo – Image Racing	Taz Douglas	Ford Falcon FG	0:57.1120	0:00.3014
6	Linde Material Handling	Cameron Waters	Holden Commodore VE2	0:57.1804	0:00.3698
7	Global Security Management	Daniel Gaunt	Holden Commodore VE2	0:57.1891	0:00.3785
8	Sargent Security Racing	Paul Morris	Holden Commodore VE2	0:57.3200	0:00.5094
9	Brad Jones Racing	Chris Pither	Holden Commodore VE2	0:57.3682	0:00.5576
10	Triple Eight Race Engineering	Casey Stoner	Holden Commodore VE2	0:57.3876	0:00.5770
11	Eggleston Motorsport	Jack Perkins	Holden Commodore VE	0:57.3982	0:00.5876
12	Rodney Jane Racing	Gary Jacobson	Ford Falcon FG	0:57.4110	0:00.6004
13	I Seek	George Miedecke	Ford Falcon FG	0:57.4361	0:00.6255
14	Advam Racing	Andrew Jones	Holden Commodore VE2	0:57.4590	0:00.6484
15	Finance Ezi Racing	Andre Heimgartner	Ford Falcon FG	0:57.4804	0:00.6698
16	Tony D’Alberto Racing	Nick McBride	Ford Falcon FG	0:57.5180	0:00.7074
17	R&J Batteries/NDD	Geoff Emery	Holden Commodore VE2	0:57.5903	0:00.7797
18	Go Karts Go	Drew Russell	Ford Falcon FG	0:57.6835	0:00.8729
19	Rodney Jane Racing	Rodney Jane	Ford Falcon FG	0:57.6923	0:00.8817
20	Blackchrome Sports & Workwear	Sam Walter	Holden Commodore VE2	0:58.0532	0:01.2426
21	Miraflores Estate Harbour	Morgan Haber	Ford Falcon FG	0:58.0578	0:01.2472
22	Action Racing	Marcus Zukanovic	Holden Commodore VE	0:58.3291	0:01.5185
23	Gulf Western Oil	Michael Hector	Ford Falcon FG	0:58.7121	0:01.9015
24	Resi	Aaron McGill	Holden Commodore VE2	0:59.0193	0:02.2087
25	Poll Performance	Jim Pollicina	Holden Commodore VE	0:59.0724	0:02.2618
26	Formula Tech/Interquip Racing	Brett Stewart	Holden Commodore VE	0:59.1839	0:02.3733
27	Freightliner	Aaron Tebb	Holden Commodore VE2	0:59.1934	0:02.3828
28	Pacific Hoists & Hitachi	Nandi Kiss	Holden Commodore VE	0:59.2627	0:02.4521
29	Finance Ezi Racing	Josh Hunter	Ford Falocon FG	1:08.0131	0:11.2025
30	CEG Rentals	Aaren Russell	Ford Falcon FG