Australian touring car legend Craig Lowndes secured pole position for the first V8 Supercar race of the season with a superb lap in Abu Dhabi. It was a great session for the Triple Eight team, with the sister Vodafone-backed car of Jamie Whincup lining up second.
That only highlighted the problems at rival Holden team HRT, which has Garth Tander 14th, while new signing and reigning champion James Courtney will start way back in 20th.
Will Davison was the top Ford runner, securing third in his FPR-run Falcon, just ahead of the sister car of Mark Winterbottom, who held provisional pole prior to Lowndes' lap.
Paul Drumbrell set the fifth-fastest time in his Ford Falcon, while Tim Slade made it four Fords in the top six. Lee Holdsworth was the top non-Triple Eight Commodore driver in seventh for Fujitsu Racing.
The race takes place later today.
Pos Driver Car Time
1. Craig Lowndes Holden 1m57.2290s
2. Jamie Whincup Holden 1m57.4600s + 0.2310
3. Alex Davison Ford 1m57.5290s + 0.3000
4. M.Winterbottom Ford 1m57.6190s + 0.3900
5. Paul Dumbrell Ford 1m57.6280s + 0.3990
6. Tim Slade Ford 1m57.7390s + 0.5100
7. Jason Bright Holden 1m57.7790s + 0.5500
8. Steven Johnson Ford 1m57.7830s + 0.5540
9. Lee Holdsworth Holden 1m57.8130s + 0.5840
10. Jonathon Webb Ford 1m57.9550s + 0.7260
11. Fabian Coulthard Holden 1m57.9600s + 0.7310
12. Will Davison Ford 1m57.9640s + 0.7350
13. Steve Owen Holden 1m57.9820s + 0.7530
14. Garth Tander Holden 1m57.9860s + 0.7570
15. S.van Gisbergen Ford 1m58.0110s + 0.7820
16. Tony D'Alberto Holden 1m58.0710s + 0.8420
17. Todd Kelly Holden 1m58.2050s + 0.9760
18. Michael Caruso Holden 1m58.3120s + 1.0830
19. Jason Bargwanna Holden 1m58.3160s + 1.0870
20. James Courtney Holden 1m58.3810s + 1.1520
21. Russell Ingall Holden 1m58.4540s + 1.2250
22. Karl Reindler Holden 1m58.4630s + 1.2340
23. David Reynolds Holden 1m58.4800s + 1.2510
24. Warren Luff Holden 1m58.5780s + 1.3490
25. Rick Kelly Holden 1m58.6070s + 1.3780
26. Dean Fiore Ford 1m58.9260s + 1.6970
27. Greg Murphy Holden 1m59.0560s + 1.8270
28. James Moffat Ford 1m59.1080s + 1.8790