Bathurst: Ryan Wood fastest Kiwi as rain hits opening Bathurst Supercars sessions

A few contenders for the biggest prize in the Supercars championship put their markers out early during the first practice of the four-day motorsport spectacular.

The weather played a big part, especially during the second session of the day, which was for co-drivers only, with most of them easing their cars around the circuit, not wanting to hit the wall.

Will Brown and Scott Pye set the fastest time, with James Golding and David Russell second, followed by Will Davison and Tony D’Alberto. Best of the Kiwis was Ryan Wood and Jayden Ojeda in fourth. The only Kiwi co-driver in the field, Fabian Coulthard (driving with Chaz Mostert), finished 12th.

“It was a bit like ice, and I was pretty cautious out there,” said Pye. “The car rolled out quite good and I didn’t want to push it too hard especially when it started raining.

“In the race you don’t have the option of bailing out, but today I could be a bit cautious, and the car was pretty quick anyway.”

Mount Panorama’s first victim of the annual event was Mostert, who slid his car into the wall at Griffin’s Bend after a brake lock-up during the first practice session.

“I’m all good, just locked a front and it wouldn’t clear,” said Mostert. “Just went slightly later [braking] than what I did the run before, but for whatever reason, the brake wouldn’t release.

“Just had a small lock, but it just felt like I skated.”

At the end of the first hit out on a damp track, Wood’s co-driver Ojeda topped the timing sheets from Anton De Pasquale, Kai Allen, New Zealander Matthew Payne, and category stalwart Jamie Whincup co-driving with series leader Broc Feeney.

Early on during the practice, Wood set the fastest time as well ensuring the Walkinshaw Andretti United pair had the early bragging rights.

The rest of the Kiwis were feeling their way around the circuit with Andre Heimgartner eighth and Richie Stanaway 14th.

The second practice session of the day was for co-drivers only in which only one Kiwi took part. It was touch and go whether Coulthard would take part after main game driver Mostert put their car in the wall earlier in the day.

After a massive effort by the Walkinshaw Andretti United mechanics, the car indeed made it out on track 15 minutes before the session started.

Scott Pye set the early pace, followed by Todd Hazelwood, D’Alberto, Whincup — all of whom are former main game drivers — and Zach Bates.

The Bathurst curse caught Hari Jones out at The Chase, where he hit the wall with force, bringing out the red flag. The weather closed in on the resumption of practice and while there were a few close calls, all the co-drivers kept their respective cars on the tarmac.

There are two more practice sessions today before qualifying commences at 6.10pm NZ time.