Motorsport: Richards sets Bathurst pace

Jason Richards is leading the Bathurst pack into today's Top 10 shootout. Photo / Getty Images

New Zealand driver Jason Richards has had one dress rehearsal, now he is ready for the main act after emerging as the dark horse at the V8 Supercar Bathurst 1000 in New South Wales.

The 33-year-old took today provisional pole position for the big race on Sunday with his co-driver Cam McConville, and now needs to nail a top 10 shootout lap today to finish the job.

Richards will go last in the top 10 shootout tomorrow as the fastest qualifier so far.

Behind him today were Garth Tander, Lee Holdsworth, Mark Winterbottom, Paul Dumbrell, Craig Lowndes, Shane Van Gisbergen, Todd Kelly, Russell Ingall and Greg Murphy.

It proved a great day for New Zealand drivers at Bathurst, with Steven Richards driving with Winterbottom as fourth fastest, Craig Baird with Paul Dumbrell fifth, Van Gisbergen seventh, Murphy ninth, Fabian Coulthard 11th and John McIntyre 21st.

Having topped qualifiers last year and with the weight of expectation on his shoulders, Richards wavered slightly in the race for pole position.

But he still managed sixth on the grid and an incredible second in the race in 2008.

"To be honest it was really the first time I'd felt so much pressure," Richards said of this time last year when he teamed up with Murphy in an all-New Zealand outfit.

" The weight of expectation was through the roof. I was tense in the car the whole way around which is not the way I like to be. This time will be different."

Nelson-born Richards produced a terrific qualifying lap today along with some luck. Race favourites Lowndes (Jamie Whincup) and Tander (Will Davison) both were on target to beat the time but for unforeseen obstacles in their way.

First it was Lowndes who was within sight of the finish line when a red flag dropped to end the session and Tander was also on a flyer before being slightly held up by a second Ford Performance Racing car driven by Dean Canto.

"We saved everything we had for the end of qualifying and were looking at a top three times at least but the red flag ended that," Lowndes said.

"On a positive note, we know the car has the goods and our tyres are in good shape.

"We still have a couple of spots to work on across the top of the mountain but I am very pleased with where we are at this stage of the event."

- NZPA