Kostecki powers to pole in Bathurst Shootout
Supercars
07 Oct 2023
Kostecki motors to Bathurst pole by nearly 0.5s in epic Shootout
#99 Coca-Cola Camaro driver beat Feeney, Waters to pole
Erebus takes first Bathurst pole position since 2018
Brodie Kostecki has powered to Repco Bathurst 1000 pole in a pulsating ARMOR ALL Top Ten Shootout, with the championship leader nearly 0.5s clear of his closest rival.
Kostecki, who has proven the pace-setter all weekend at Mount Panorama, nailed a 2:04.2719s to leave his rivals for dead in the one-lap dash.
The 25-year-old claimed his first Bathurst 1000 pole position, and the first for Erebus Motorsport since David Reynolds in 2018.
"It means a lot to the whole team, we've been fast all weekend," said Kostecki, who has taken three of the last five poles this season, and seven in total in 2023.
"I thought I threw it all away at Turn 1, I have a delta on the dash and I knew I had a bit of time to make up. That little mistake, I thought it was gonna cost me.
"The car was awesome across the top, I just threw it down the hill, I wasn't sure if I was going to make it down the other side.
"I was very happy to get through the Dipper there, I knew going down Conrod I was on a good lap, so I didn't have to stuff it up.
"Very proud of this whole team, really excited to be starting off the front row tomorrow."
Kostecki and David Russell will share the front row with the Broc Feeney/Jamie Whincup #88 Red Bull Ampol Camaro for Sunday’s 161-lap race, which will commence at 11:15am AEDT.
The West Aussie driver’s margin of 0.4830s is the biggest Bathurst 1000 pole-winning margin since Greg Murphy’s famous 'Lap of the Gods' in 2003.
Will Davison was first man out in his #17 Shell V-Power Mustang, but a big slide at Hell Corner eventually consigned the 2012 pole winner to 10th with a 2:06.4174s.
Chaz Mostert (#25 Mobil 1 Optus Mustang), Matt Payne (#19 Penrite Mustang) and Shane van Gisbergen (#97 Red Bull Ampol Camaro) all improved the benchmark lap by lap.
Van Gisbergen's 2:04.9971s held firm through David Reynolds' (#26 Penrite Mustang) efforts, before Feeney fired in a 2:04.7549s to hit the top.
Cam Waters (#6 Monster Energy Mustang) missed out by just 0.0226s, with James Golding (#31 Nulon Camaro) just just in third.
It boiled down to Kostecki, who made an error akin to Davison at Hell Corner. With time to make up, the points leader flew across the top of the Mountain to make a major statement to his rivals ahead of Sunday.
Kostecki helped Chevrolet to its first Bathurst pole since Kevin Bartlett in 1981. On that occasion, the race was eventually won by Dick Johnson and Ford.
Supercars will return to the track for the Warm Up at 8:00am AEDT on Sunday, followed by Race 24 of the Repco Supercars Championship at 11:15am.
