Ford star sets pace in dominant show
the Western Sydney track formerly known as Eastern Creek, he took a staggering four seconds off his previous best to continue his one-lap winning reign.
“We worked on the car at the end of P1 and it came good at the end of the second session,’’ he said.
“To me the car felt good but until we get to the race we don’t know. It was a bit eyeopening to go four seconds quicker when we put those tyres on and it was hard to get my brain around.’’
McLaughlin could extend his series lead on Saturday by beating nearest challenger Jamie Whincup to continue his breakout year.
“We will see how we go tomorrow,’’ McLaughlin said.
“We are on a roll and the car is nice. We have to keep at it and make sure we do all the work. We still have a lot to do and we are focused on getting it done.’’
Firing a warning shot at old enemy Holden, the Prodrive trio of Mark Winterbottom, Chaz Mostert and Cameron Waters followed McLaughlin to the top.
Winterbottom is enjoying new-found form after endur- ing a difficult start to the year.
“I have been saying for a bit that I am driving OK,’’ Winterbottom said.
“And I have been working at it with my engineer and today was a really good day.
“I am just going to enjoy the development and keep backing myself. As a team we have gone forward and that is what you have to do.’’
In the earlier session, Nissan driver Michael Caruso shocked the field to go fastest.
On a track being peppered by gale-force winds, the Sydney driver mastered the tricky conditions to beat McLaughlin by 0.38 seconds. Caruso clocked 1.29.96 to announce himself as a surprise Sydney chance.
“It’s hard to know what to make of what everyone else is doing, but there’s still a bit to try to improve,” he said.
“The wind here is crazy, particularly, on my first lap. I came down the straight and didn’t even get into sixth gear. I asked if there’s something wrong with our engine and my engineer said ‘no mate, there’s a big headwind’.
“It (the wind) is a challenge but it’s one that we needed to tackle.” THE Supercars field could be levelled by wind gusts of up to 100km/h as horrendous conditions hit Sydney Motorsport Park today.
There are fears Supercars could be sent sailing after wind blasts of up to 80km/h turned yesterday’s two practice sessions for the Sydney SuperSprint into a lottery.
“The wind is going to have a huge effect on the cars,’’ Erebus owner Betty Klimenko said yesterday.
“Everyone has just gotten used to the tyres, the grip and the handling and the intensity of the wind is picking these cars up and moving them around.
“Just a fraction of movement will make it interesting.’’
Klimenko said the wind could prove a giant slayer with the colourful team owner predicting her star recruit Dave Reynolds could break through for his first Erebus win.
On an unpredictable day of racing, Reynolds proved he could cause an upset by finishing seventh in the event starting practice session one.
Klimenko said Reynolds was full of confidence after bagging the team a surprise podium at Phillip Island this year.
“It is not a matter of if but when,’’ Klimenko said. “It could happen here. “He has gotten the podium and got the monkey off our back with a third. It is a matter of finding the right way of doing thing as a team to find that nanosecond we need.’’
If wind gusts force drivers to brake later or earlier, or buffet cars off their line, a smaller team could snare a breakthrough season win.
Championship- leading DJR Team Penske boss Ryan Story expected the unexpected in today’s 120km sprint around the track formerly known as Eastern Creek.
“The conditions have been testing,’’ Story said. “It looks like they will continue to be.’’
Klimenko credited Reynolds for lifting the team to a new level after defecting from Prodrive Racing Australia. “He is a great fit,” she said. “He is so calm and relaxed and is more a part of the development of the car than you would think.”