Pither sweeps Symmons Plains Super2 poles

Chris Pither has taken Armor All pole position for both Races 1 and 2 of Round 2 of the Dunlop Super2 Series at Symmons Plains.

Pither left it until late in both 10-minute sessions to bump an Eggleston Motorsport driver, namely Paul Dumbrell in Armor All Qualifying for Race 1 and Will Brown for Race 2.

Dumbrell and Brown experienced contrasting sessions, the former qualifying 10th on the grid for Race 2 and the latter 15th for Race 1.

Armor All Qualifying for Race 1

Pither set the pace in the first run as most of the field chose to start the first qualifying session on the tyres they used in Practice 2 the day prior.

Dumbrell (#88 VF Commodore) was only seventh after his opening salvos but jumped to first position when he took on green tyres.

He remained there as the chequered flag came out before Pither moved back into the lead with a 0:52.2231s, just under a tenth faster in the #44 Garry Rogers Motorsport VF Commodore.

Brodie Kostecki (#57 Kostecki Brothers VF Commodore) and Jack Smith (#21 Brad Jones Racing VF Commodore) both impressed as they made the second row of the starting grid.

Round 1 pole-sitter Garry Jacobson (#26 MW Motorsport Nissan Altima) lifted himself from 19th after the first run to sixth on the grid, alongside Shae Davies (#67 Paul Morris Motorsport FGX Falcon).

The top 10 was rounded out by Kurt Kostecki, Adam Marjoram, Nathan Morcom, and Dean Fiore.

In a messy session all-round, Brown (#38 VF Commodore) was not sanctioned after passing two cars which had slowed for a yellow flag at the hairpin.

Jordan Boys had been sitting on the apron on the outside of the corner, with the yellows catching out a number of drivers who came up fast on other cars.

Alex Rullo, who ultimately finished the session 14th, was another that had a close call when he just avoided slowing team-mate Jacobson.

Armor All Qualifying for Race 2

Brown went provisionally to what would have been his first Super2 pole halfway through the hit-out, going ever so slightly faster than Pither’s earlier benchmark.

The Kiwi didn’t leave his run as late as before, but was still the last to make a serious impact when he laid down a 0:52.1159s in the final minute after Brown had already stepped out of his car.

Brodie Kostecki was third-fastest for the second session in a row while Macauley Jones (#14 Brad Jones Racing VF Commodore), who had experienced a relatively poor start to the weekend, got back up towards the front of the field in fourth position.

Jacobson and Smith line up off Row 3, ahead of Rullo, Kurt Kostecki, and rookie Zane Goddard.

Dumbrell sat out the first five minutes and only attempted one run on his way to 10th.

The first of three 30-lap races is due this afternoon at 1530 local time/AEST, with points from Races 1 and 2 setting the grid for Race 3 tomorrow afternoon.

Results: Armor All Qualifying for Race 1

Pos	Num	Team/Sponsor	Driver	Car	Fastest lap	Split
1	44	Wilson Security PAYCE GRM	Chris Pither	Holden Commodore VF	0:52.2231
2	88	Eggleston Motorsport	Paul Dumbrell	Holden Commodore VF	0:52.3168	0:00.0937
3	57	Arcoplate Racing	Brodie Kostecki	Holden Commodore VF	0:52.4968	0:00.2737
4	21	SCT Logistics	Jack Smith	Holden Commodore VF	0:52.5279	0:00.3048
5	67	Paul Morris Motorsport	Shae Davies	Ford Falcon FG/X	0:52.5347	0:00.3116
6	26	MEGA Fuels / MWM	Garry Jacobson	Nissan Altima	0:52.5810	0:00.3579
7	55	Arcoplate Racing	Kurt Kostecki	Holden Commodore VF	0:52.6009	0:00.3778
8	15	Auto One Racing	Adam Marjoram	Holden Commodore VF	0:52.6351	0:00.4120
9	54	Eggleston Motorsport	Nathan Morcom	Holden Commodore VF	0:52.6661	0:00.4430
10	23	Sitech-Trimble / MWM	Dean Fiore	Nissan Altima	0:52.6732	0:00.4501
11	14	Payce	Macauley Jones	Holden Commodore VF	0:52.7062	0:00.4831
12	5	Skye Sands	Thomas Randle	Ford Falcon FG/X	0:52.7204	0:00.4973
13	8	BGD Architects	Zane Goddard	Holden Commodore VF	0:52.7629	0:00.5398
14	62	Land Surveys / MWM	Alex Rullo	Nissan Altima	0:52.7839	0:00.5608
15	38	Eggleston Motorsport	William Brown	Holden Commodore VF	0:52.8429	0:00.6198
16	99	Wilson Security PAYCE GRM	Mason Barbera	Holden Commodore VF	0:52.8629	0:00.6398
17	63	Eggleston Motorsport	Dominic Storey	Holden Commodore VF	0:52.8823	0:00.6592
18	13	Green Unicorn Racing	Tyler Greenbury	Holden Commodore VF	0:52.9496	0:00.7265
19	49	Dynamic Supplies	Jordan Boys	Holden Commodore VF	0:53.0150	0:00.7919
20	56	Arcoplate Racing	Jake Kostecki	Holden Commodore VF	0:53.0646	0:00.8415
21	16	Middy’s Electrical	Bryce Fullwood	Ford Falcon FG/X	0:53.0679	0:00.8448
22	10	Grove Hire	Brenton Grove	Holden Commodore VF	0:53.1541	0:00.9310
23	18	Auto One Albury	Matthew Chahda	Holden Commodore VF	0:53.1838	0:00.9607

Results: Armor All Qualifying for Race 2

Pos	Num	Team/Sponsor	Driver	Car	Fastest lap	Split
1	44	Wilson Security PAYCE GRM	Chris Pither	Holden Commodore VF	0:52.1159
2	38	Eggleston Motorsport	William Brown	Holden Commodore VF	0:52.2103	0:00.0944
3	57	Arcoplate Racing	Brodie Kostecki	Holden Commodore VF	0:52.3081	0:00.1922
4	14	Payce	Macauley Jones	Holden Commodore VF	0:52.3094	0:00.1935
5	26	MEGA Fuels / MWM	Garry Jacobson	Nissan Altima	0:52.3149	0:00.1990
6	21	SCT Logistics	Jack Smith	Holden Commodore VF	0:52.3540	0:00.2381
7	62	Land Surveys / MWM	Alex Rullo	Nissan Altima	0:52.4638	0:00.3479
8	55	Arcoplate Racing	Kurt Kostecki	Holden Commodore VF	0:52.4913	0:00.3754
9	8	BGD Architects	Zane Goddard	Holden Commodore VF	0:52.4940	0:00.3781
10	88	Eggleston Motorsport	Paul Dumbrell	Holden Commodore VF	0:52.5358	0:00.4199
11	5	Skye Sands	Thomas Randle	Ford Falcon FG/X	0:52.5426	0:00.4267
12	23	Sitech-Trimble / MWM	Dean Fiore	Nissan Altima	0:52.5659	0:00.4500
13	15	Auto One Racing	Adam Marjoram	Holden Commodore VF	0:52.5785	0:00.4626
14	56	Arcoplate Racing	Jake Kostecki	Holden Commodore VF	0:52.6318	0:00.5159
15	54	Eggleston Motorsport	Nathan Morcom	Holden Commodore VF	0:52.6900	0:00.5741
16	67	Paul Morris Motorsport	Shae Davies	Ford Falcon FG/X	0:52.6940	0:00.5781
17	18	Auto One Albury	Matthew Chahda	Holden Commodore VF	0:52.7436	0:00.6277
18	49	Dynamic Supplies	Jordan Boys	Holden Commodore VF	0:52.7658	0:00.6499
19	10	Grove Hire	Brenton Grove	Holden Commodore VF	0:52.8132	0:00.6973
20	13	Green Unicorn Racing	Tyler Greenbury	Holden Commodore VF	0:52.8570	0:00.7411
21	99	Wilson Security PAYCE GRM	Mason Barbera	Holden Commodore VF	0:52.8920	0:00.7761
22	63	Eggleston Motorsport	Dominic Storey	Holden Commodore VF	0:52.9064	0:00.7905
23	16	Middy’s Electrical	Bryce Fullwood	Ford Falcon FG/X	0:53.0633	0:00.9474