Bathurst champion Craig Lowndes will start Saturday’s Gold Coast Supercars race from a lowly 21st position after being penalised for an incident during qualifying.
Lowndes was swerving across the Surfers Paradise street circuit while warming up his tyres in the 20-minute session when Ford driver Richie Stanaway came up behind him on a flying lap.
The Holden veteran failed to react in time and the pair collided, with race stewards imposing a five-grid spot penalty on Lowndes for his role in the incident.
« We all talk about traffic round here and I was one of them today, unfortunately, » Lowndes said.
« I’ll go up and apologise to him. It was my mistake, I should have got out of his way. »
The session was dominated by championship leader Shane Van Gisbergen, who backed up his fastest lap of the day in Friday’s practice to qualify fastest for the top 10 shootout for pole position.
Van Gisbergen clocked a one minute and 10.1125 second lap with teammate Jamie Whincup (1:10.4126) second-fastest.
Others to make the top 10 shootout include Van Gisbergen’s main championship rival Scott McLaughlin and 2017 Bathurst winner David Reynolds.
Ford star Chaz Mostert, who won the corresponding race on the Gold Coast last year, will also take part in the shootout.
Holden veteran James Courtney, ahead of his 400th race start in a Supercar, was another to qualify inside the top 10.
The shootout for pole position begins at 11.25am AEST. Saturday’s 300km race starts at 2.25pm.
http://www.espn.com/v8-supercars/story/_/id/25028100/lowndes-penalised-supercars-qualifying
