Murray delivers in high-pressure Dunlop Series qualifying

Cooper Murray has claimed his second pole position in the 2024 Dunlop Series after delivering a lap when it mattered most in Perth.

Murray set the fastest time of the weekend with a 54.7855s pip teammate and points leader Kai Allen by half a tenth of a second.

Murray was ecstatic after the session, as he looks to fight his way back into the Super2 championship battle after a disastrous opening round in Bathurst.

“It's very special, especially after Bathurst,” exclaimed the excited Melburnian.

"I can't thank the Eggleston crew enough for getting the car fixed. There was a fair bit of damage after the second race.

“To bounce back like this and get a pole position, that's what I wanted to do and here we are."

It wasn’t all smooth sailing for Murray, however, as rubber build-up behind the right front brake rotor caught fire as he was released for his green tyre run.

"I could smell all the smoke and see all the flames coming from the front right brake,” he said.

"Whenever you smell smoke like that, you know it's not good, but just go out there, press on and get the job done."

Behind the all-Eggleston front row, the standout performer was Brad Jones Racing rookie Cody Gillis, who set the first sub-55 second lap of the weekend in the first segment of qualifying.

Gillis put the rest of the field on notice with a time of 54.9770s, a time that could only be beaten by Murray, Allen, and Tickford’s Brad Vaughan who set a 54.9555s to go third.

Friday pacesetter Zach Bates could only manage fifth for Walkinshaw Andretti United on a 54.9874s, lining up alongside Image Racing’s Jarrod Hughes on the third row.

It’s an all-Kelly Racing fourth row of the grid with Aaron Cameron ahead of Mason Kelly, with Eggleston’s Jordyn Sinni, and Anderson Motorsport’s Max Vidau rounding out the top ten, the latter setting his time in the first segment of qualifying.

Super3 pole was also decided in the first segment of qualifying, with Thomas Maxwell edging out MW Motorsport teammate Cody Burcher by just 0.0015s on a 55.5322s, breaking Kai Allen’s Super3 qualifying record from 2022.

The two Nissan Altimas in the field will line up in 20th and 21st outright, with fellow Super3 runner Tony Auddino’s VF Commodore rounding out the Dunlop Series field in 25th.

The first race of the weekend for the Dunlop Series begins at 2:20 pm AWST/4:20 pm AEST, as the inter-team Eggleston battle looks set to ignite once again.