Hodson leads strong rookie class in opening practice

Anderson Motorsport rookie Ayrton Hodson has set the pace in the opening practice session of the 2025 Dunlop Super2 Series at the Thrifty Sydney 500 - Opening Round.

The only New Zealander in the field set the benchmark time in just his second official lap in Super2, setting a 1:32.5593s to lead the field by just under two tenths of a second.

Triple Eight rookie Jackson Walls was the next driver in the queue, having set the fastest first sector of the session on his final lap before fading away to a 1:32.7523s.

Reigning Super3 champion Cody Burcher, reigning Toyota GR Cup champion Max Geoghegan, Bailey Sweeny, and Matt Hillyer completed the top six, all impressing in their opening accounts in Super2.

Reigning Super2 champion Zach Bates finished seventh on a 1:33.4855s in his first session as an Eggleston Motorsport driver, with Ben Gomersall, Cameron McLeod, and Bradi Owen rounding out the top 10.

The opening 10 minutes of the session saw the nine rookies in the field take to Sydney Motorsport Park in their first career Super2 sessions, before the veterans returned for their usual 40-minute hit-out.

Hillyer was the first car to set a lap for the season in the #25 Commodore, and he was joined on track by Geoghegan (Image), Gomersall, Walls (both Triple Eight), Sweeny (Blanchard), Ryan Tomsett, Hodson (both Anderson), Owen, and Burcher (both Eggleston).

Bates and McLeod were the quickest of the Super2 veterans when they rolled out onto the track, the reigning champion setting a 1:33.4855 and the Kelly Racing recruit setting a 1:33.6446s to go second and third respectively.

Hillyer jumped back into third with 15 minutes left in the session after setting a 1:33.6422s, and further improved on the following lap, with a 1:33.4313s promoting him to second.

Burcher leapt up to second in the final 10 minutes with a strong 1:32.8788s,and also went for a second push lap, improving to a 1:32.7652s, two tenths' behind Hodson.

Burcher's Eggleston teammate Owen jumped to sixth late in the session on a 1:33.7952s, before Sweeny leapt up into third on a 1:33.7952s.

Walls threatened Hodson's marker on his final two laps in the #11 Objective Commodore, setting a 1:33.1130s to go third on his first push lap, before leaping into second on his final lap and breaking the 1:33 barrier.

Geoghegan also improved after the chequered flag was waved, leaping to fourth on a 1:33.3372s in the #53 Commodore run by Image Racing.

Practice 2 for the Dunlop Super2 Series begins at 5:15pm local time.