Stanaway wanted Bathurst Shootout to happen

The single-lap dash for the Bathurst 1000 was cancelled this evening due to heavy rain, officials deeming it unsafe to send cars out on the sodden Mount Panorama circuit.

Instead the first five rows of the Great Race grid will be determined from Friday qualifying.

While the decision has largely drawn a positive reaction from the affected drivers, Stanaway was critical of the cancellation.

The Kiwi, making a wildcard start for Erebus Motorsport alongside Greg Murphy, has been in sensational form so far in wet conditions, starring in both wet practice and qualifying yesterday.

And while the cancellation of the Shootout means he and Murphy will start a remarkable fourth tomorrow, Stanaway was left deflated by the Shootout not going ahead.

Speaking to Motorsport.com he said it was disappointing not to be able to take part in what would have been his first Bathurst 1000 Shootout.

He was also critical of the decision itself, adding that he would have happily tackled the wet conditions.

"I would have been fine going out there to drive," said Stanaway. "It would have been a good show.

"A race with 30 cars? That's a different story. But when you're out there by yourself, and there's no spray... the corner speeds are so slow over the top that even if you have a moment it won't be that bad.

"And then worst case scenario at the back end of the track you end up in the gravel.

"I came here to drive, not stand in the garage."

Stanaway did, however, admit that a P4 start exceeds the expectations of the third Erebus entry.

"At the end of the day it locked us into a second-row start, so we couldn't hope for much more than that as a wildcard," he said.

Stanaway has always been impressive in wet conditions, Triple Eight having studied one of his stints at Bathurst in the rain in 2017 as part of its build-up this year.

The 2022 Repco Bathurst 1000 kicks off at 11:15am local time tomorrow.