Motorsport: Waters top Kiwis in practice

Cam Waters proved the fastest in Friday practice ahead of the ITM Auckland SuperSprint. Photo / Matthew Hansen

Sandown 500 winner Cam Waters topped the time sheets in practice at the ITM Auckland SuperSprint on Friday.

The Monster Energy Ford driver recorded a fastest lap of 1:02.582s to be a touch faster than championship leader Jamie Whincup and Ford teammate Mark Winterbottom.

Kiwi Scott McLaughlin, who was fastest in the earlier session, was fourth quickest with fellow Kiwi title contenders Shane van Gisbergen sixth and Fabian Coulthard 14th.

The other title contender Chaz Mostert was fifth fastest in his Ford.

Even though he didn't dominate the day McLaughlin was pretty satisfied with where he finished.

"I am pretty happy. It wasn't a bad day. It could have been better - we just need to work on a few things and we'll do that overnight," he told The Herald.

"The biggest thing is qualifying. If we qualify well I think we have a really nice race car.
"We tried the race run and it was nice so I think we'll be good."

The major talking point of the day was the work done on various patches of the track surface, which got mixed reaction from drivers. Some, like championship leader Whincup, thought it had a significant influence on car set-up while across the garage his teammate van Gisbergen thought it had limited impact.

McLaughlin gave the upgrades a tick of approval.

"The best thing about this track and what they've done is they have kept the character in the track. The track hasn't got any faster but it has lost some of the bumps but some of them are still there and that is what Pukekohe is well known for.

"It has improved the track but also kept the old times in it which is great."

While it rained at times today both Supercars practice sessions were dry and the teams didn't get a chance to prepare for wet conditions they are likely to face tomorrow.
While some drivers are talking about how the new surface will perform in the wet, McLaughlin isn't worried.

"No dramas - I'm Kiwi bro," he quipped.

Whincup was more concerned however.

"Those new sections are going to be pretty hectic in the wet. I'm predicting they'll be pretty slippery to be honest," the Red Bull Holden Racing driver said.

He hopes the weather stays away or that if it is a factor that the five-way title fight isn't affected by double stacking in pit lane.

"Let's hope not. We want all five cars out there racing hard and the battle to be won or lost on the track rather than the pits," he added.

Whincup was still searching for more from his car as he looks to hold on to his 17-point championship lead.

"I'd like to be a bit quicker to be honest. We are sort of hanging in there - we don't have the pace of what we've had the last seven, eight, nine years. We really have to maximize to be somewhere there or thereabouts."

Qualifying takes place tomorrow before a 70-lap race.