Murray scorches to Newcastle Super2 pole

Cooper Murray has taken pole position for the opening Dunlop Super2 Series race of the season in Newcastle.

A strong lap left the Eggleston Motorsport driver more than 0.3s clear of the chasing pack, headed by Jack Perkins who booked his place on the front row as the chequered flag waved.

Cameron McLeod was the fastest of the Super3 runners, banking the fastest time in class in an effort that will see him 15th overall.

Super2 session

Brad Vaughan set the early running while Aaron Love locked up at the hairpin, skating straight on but able to keep going.

Zach Bates also had a moment, though his resulting in front-left damage as he nosed into the wall at Turn 8.

He dragged the car back to the pits, though his session was done.

The rapid-fire session put a premium on clear track – Love and Ryan Wood having a moment at the final corner as the latter looked to end a lap and the former prepared to start one.

With just over two minutes remaining, Cooper Murray shot to the top with a 1:12.6342s, putting him 0.4635s clear of Zak Best with Love third ahead of Vaughan and Kai Allen.

In the final moments, Best had set to purple sectors but was unable to round out the lap as he remained second best.

That became third when Perkins set a lap as the flag waved to bank a 1:12.9482s to take second behind Murray.

Best was third fastest ahead of Allen, Love, and Vaughan completing the third row.

Super3 session

The opening phase of the session was exclusively for Super3 runners, with McLeod heading the nine-car field initially.

He managed a 1:14.5241s to sit 0.2760s clear halfway through the 10-minute segment.

Jobe Stewart improved to a 1:14.2285s to spring clear by almost 0.3s, going even faster on the following lap.

Traffic in the final sector scuppered that effort and he ended up 0.2s slower than his previous best.

McLeod hit back with a 1:14.0778s to reclaim provisional pole by 0.1507s over Stewart as Jett Johnson remained third.

The session ended with McLeod fastest by 0.1897s after improving as the chequered flag waved with Stewart second and Johnson third.