Shannons Insurance’s Liam Talbot and Broc Feeney of Triple Eight Race Engineering have split the Pirelli Pole Awards at Bathurst.
It was a close battle in each session for the first Pirelli Pole Awards of the season at the Mountain, with Liam Talbot in the Shannons Insurance Audi R8 LMS GT3 Evo II edging the similar entry of local Brad Schumacher in the first session for Am drivers.
Talbot set a time of 2m 05.243s to pip Schumacher by 0.393s as Ross Pourlakis for Harrolds Volante Rosso Motorsport finished third in the lead Mercedes-AMG GT3.
Reigning dual series winner Yasser Shahin made it three manufacturers in the top four driving the EMA Motorsport/The Bend Motorsport Park Porsche 911 GT3R on its debut weekend.
Three-time Australian GT champion Geoff Emery rounded out the top five in the Jamec Racing Audi from Prince Jefri Ibrahim in the lead Triple Eight Race Engineering Mercedes-AMG.
Marcos Flack continued his successful run in GT Trophy in seventh driving the Sonic Motor Racing Services Porsche 911 GT3 Cup Car, while Matt Stoupas in the KFC Audi, the Valmont Racing entry of Marcel Zalloua and Invitational Class leader Darren Currie completed the top 10.
Feeney in the second session lit up the track as he held off a challenge from teammate Jamie Whincup to end the session on a 2m 02.848s, 0.168s clear.
The closest challenger to the two Triple Eight Race Engineering entries was Austrian Audi ace Max Hofer sharing with Talbot on a 2m 03.016s.
Schumacher once again impressed to finish ahead of many Pros to be fourth from Christer Joens in the Jamec Racing Audi, EMA Motorsport/The Bend Motorsport Park’s Garnet Patterson in the Porsche, RAM Motorsport’s Garth Walden, KFC driver Paul Stokell, Brett Hobson for GWR Australia and Sam Brabham driving the Harrolds Volante Rosso Motorsport Mercedes-AMG GT3.
Flack led GT Trophy in 12th and Geoff Taunton took pole in Invitational Class finishing the session 14th.
The opening race of the weekend occurs later this afternoon at 2:55pm AEST live on 9Gem between 2-5pm and Stan Sport, but of course check your local guides.
All of the Fanatec GT World Challenge Australia powered by AWS action can be seen live and ad-break free on Stan Sport. Sign up now for a free seven-day trial.
