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Hansford breaks track record for Townsville pole
Ryan Hansford followed up his fastest time in the early morning practice session with the quickest lap in qualifying for round three of the Gulf Western Touring Car Masters series, securing his second Gulf Western Oil pole award of the year.
In his Multispares Holden Torana A9X, Hansford posted a best lap of 1 minute 20.36 seconds. The time was a touch over two tenths of a second under the qualifying benchmark set by Steve Johnson four years ago in Mustang Sally.
It was Hansford’s fifth TCM pole and the third straight for a Torana driver this year. Hansford has qualified on the front row at the last eight consecutive Touring Car Masters rounds with his streak dates back to the 2020 Adelaide 500.
QUALIFYING RESULTS: Click here
Second fastest and 0.37 seconds away was George Miedecke in the Whiteline Racing Chev Camaro, who scored his first front-row in TCM.
John Bowe (Rare Spares Torana) was third until he was slotted back to fourth by Danny Buzadzic (Western General Body Works A9X) half way through the session. That was, however, before Bowe pulled out a flyer right at end and retrieved the third fastest time.
Behind Buzadzic, who was second in the earlier practice session, was Andrew Fisher. The Jesus Racing driver had forsaken his usual Ford Falcon XY GTHO to lease a Holden Torana and achieved what his did in 2018, namely the fifth fastest time.
Sixth fastest was new Whiteline recruit Michael Almond ahead of fellow Camaro driver Cameron McConville, last race winner Cameron Tilley (Valiant Pacer), Tony Karanfilovski (Ford Mustang) and tenth-placed Ben Dunn (Chev Monza).
The Top 7 cars were covered by exactly one second in qualifying.
Then followed Paul Freestone (Camaro), Peter Burnitt (Torana), a troubled Jim Pollicina with an engine drama in his Torana, Leo Tobin (Mustang) and Warren Trewin (Holden Monaro HQ).
The Trophy Race commences just after 2pm local time and will be broadcast live on Fox Sports 506 and Kayo Sport.