Bathurst 1000: Dumbrell keeps #88 on top at Mount Panorama

Dumbrell was sitting second at the mid-point of the session with a 2m08.022s, but found big gains 10 minutes later to get down to a 2m07.512s, at that point the quickest time.

He then turned the wick up even more 10 minutes from the end, pulling half a second clear of the field with a 2m06.894s.

Ash Walsh did his best to hunt Dumbrell down in the #14 Brad Jones Racing Commodore, but could only manage a 2m07.064s, leaving Dumbrell on top by 0.16s.

Despite falling short of Dumbrell’s impressive time, Walsh, who will share with Tim Slade, was happy after his hour of running.

“No matter how many times you’ve been to this place, a lap around here is pretty crazy,” he said.“I really enjoyed it. The car is obviously good and the team have prepared me well. I’m happy just to get through the first session and be competitive.”

Behind Dumbrell and Walsh, the Top 5 chopped and changed a lot over the last couple of minutes. In the end it was Alex Premat who ended up third in the #97 Triple Eight Commodore with a 2m07.230s.

Dean Canto was next in Mark Winterbottom’s Prodrive Ford, ahead of Macauley Jones who impressed in the #21 BJR Commodore, and even sat on top of the times 20 minutes from the end before being displaced by Dumbrell.

Jack Perkins (HRT Commodore) and Jack Le Brocq (Prodrive Ford) were next in line, with Luke Youlden (DJR Team Penske), David Wall (Volvo), and Steve Owen (Prodrive Ford) rounding out the Top 10.

James Golding caused the biggest highlight of the session, launching the #34 Volvo into the wall at Reid Park. The car sustained significant damage to the left-hand side, ending Golding’s session on the spot and putting the #34’s participation for the remainder of the day in doubt.

Golding, who crashed heavily out of the Sandown 500 on the first lap last month, had been quick before finding the wall, and still finished the session 13th with a best of 2m07.970s.

“It’s never nice when they’re coming off the flatbed,” said his co-driver James Moffat. “I’d say it’s unlikely you’ll see us back out today.”

It was a tough session for the #888 Triple Eight Commodore too. After Craig Lowndes struggled in this morning’s first session, Steve Richards found little gains this time out, finishing up 26th, more than two seconds adrift of the pace.

“There’s nothing going on, we’re just not fast enough at the moment,” said Richards. “Clearly the car is a long way from where I’d like it, and I’m sure where Craig’d like it, so we’ve just got to keep working away.”