Bathurst 1000 - Day One
MAIN GAME
Practice 1 saw strong performances from both cars, with Car 55 finishing P5 and Car 6 securing P2. Despite a power steering pump issue with Car 55, which required some time in the garage for repairs, Thomas was able to get back out on track after the team quickly resolved the problem. Overall, the session was a success, with both cars showing competitive pace, consistent with their performance earlier in the year at the Bathurst 500. The team was pleased with the outcome, confident in the speed of the cars and how the session unfolded.
In Practice 2, the co-drivers took the wheel, with Car 55 finishing P7 and Car 6 in P12. The session had a delayed start due to an oil spill on Conrod Straight from an earlier category, and further disruptions followed when a venomous snake made its way onto the track, causing the session to become time-certain. Despite the limited running, Tyler and James made the most of their time on track. A red flag ended the session early, but the team was happy with the pace shown by both drivers under the circumstances.
Looking ahead, the team is focused on building momentum as they head into qualifying tomorrow afternoon. With two more practice sessions scheduled in the morning, they are eager to continue refining their setups and improving their performance.
DUNLOP SUPER 2 SERIES
Practice 1 saw a strong start for the team, with all three drivers performing well straight out of the truck. Brad Vaughan set the fastest time, securing P1, followed closely by Rylan Gray in P2, and Lochie Dalton in P3. The session was interrupted by two red flags, but the drivers remained closely matched, within 0.2 seconds of each other.
In Practice 2, Brad didn’t run on fresh tyres, so his P12 position doesn’t fully reflect his pace. Rylan and Lochie, finishing P5 and P4 respectively, were unable to put together a clean lap in the limited green-flag running, but they remain confident that the speed they showed in Practice 1 will carry through to tomorrow’s qualifying. Another red flag disrupted this session, further limiting track time.
Qualifying and Race 1 take place tomorrow, with the team looking to build on their promising pace from the opening practice.
TOYOTA 86 SERIES
The first day of action at Mount Panorama saw Charlie Nash take his initial laps in a rear-wheel-drive car around the iconic circuit, and he adapted quickly. In a competitive 35-car grid, Charlie's performance was impressive, making steady progress throughout the day.
In Practice 1, he secured P8, despite a yellow-flagged session that limited track time. Even with the disruptions, Charlie managed to set a competitive lap, showing promising early pace on his first outing at the track in this car.
In Practice 2, Charlie finished P12. While the position wasn’t quite as high as the morning session, it was still a valuable opportunity to get more comfortable with the car and track. He and the team gathered crucial data, which will help them push to move further up the grid as the weekend progresses.
Overall, it was a strong start, and with more track time to come, the team is optimistic about building on this early momentum.
HOW TO WATCH
Viewers can stream every practice, qualifying session and race of the 2024 Repco Supercars Championship with no ad-breaks in racing on Kayo Sports & Foxtel. The Seven Network and 7plus will show live & free coverage of the Friday, Saturday and Sunday of the event.
