Motorsport: Martin/Talbot grab pole in shootout

John Martin in action during qualifying of the Hampton Downs 500. Photo / Matthew Hansen

Porsche drivers John Martin and Liam Talbot will start the Laser Plumbing & Electrical Hampton Downs 500 from pole position after winning a wet top 10 shootout.

The Porsche combination topped both co-drivers' qualifying sessions before Martin produced a terrific lap in the shootout to jump the McLaren of Alvaro Parente and Fraser Ross with the final run.

The pair sits second in the championship standings heading into the weekend and will hope to take advantage of a crash in qualifying by the leading duo Jaxon Evans and Tim Miles.

Miles' Audi got caught with an aquaplane on the back straight and it sent him off into a concrete barrier, causing huge damage to the car. The team is hopeful of getting it fixed in time for tomorrow's race.

Dominic Storey and Peter Hackett will start third in their Mercedes.

"To be fair it was ok. It wasn't the greatest lap of the weekend but it was enough to get us through," Martin said of the lap.

"At the end of the day it doesn't matter - we are starting in the right position."

The rain had eased a little bit by the time the shootout took place. With dry weather forecast for Sunday teams will need to adjust to the right dry set-up very quickly before the race.

"The first practice was crazy," Martin said. "Some places you needed a jet ski I think.

"I believe it is going to be dry [on Sunday]. In saying that we haven't really gone with a crazy wet set-up on the car - it is 50-50.

"I think the [Sunday] warm-up potentially could be the most important session of the weekend."

Teams will get a 20 minute warm-up tomorrow morning before the race begins at 12.40pm.

Shootout times
1.John Martin/Liam Talbot (Porsche) 1:43.409s
2.Alvaro Parente/Fraser Ross (McLaren) 1:43.451s
3.Dominic Storey/Peter Hackett (Mercedes) 1:44.790s
4.Brad Shiels/Andrew Macpherson (Porsche) 1:45.218s
5.Jonny Reid/Neil Foster (Audi) 1:45.279s
6.Tony D'Alberto/Max Twigg (Mercedes) 1:46.504s
7.Steven Richards/Dylan O'Keeffe (BMW) 1:46.772s
8.Matt Whittaker/John Udy (Audi) 1:47.478s
9.Cameron McConville/Adrian Deitz (Lamborghini) 1:48.327s
10.Jaxon Evans/Tim Miles (Audi) No time set