Jamie Whincup and Paul Dumbrell will start from pole in today's first endurance V8 Supercars race of the season as they chase history at the Sandown 500.
In an elongated qualifying process with separate 20-lap races for co-drivers and regular-series drivers, Dumbrell won the lead and Whincup kept it. Since the race became a 500km affair, no driver has taken three straight victories.
The two Pepsi Max Falcons led by Mark Winterbottom and Chaz Mostert showed superior pace all weekend leading up to the qualifying races. The pair gave their co-drivers the front grid for their race only to allow Dumbrell to steal a lead within 90 seconds of their race.
Cameron Waters, 21, couldn't cash in on his pole position, making an error on the first lap to slip to third. Similarly, Winterbottom's co-driver Steve Owen, complaining of braking issues, was overtaken shortly after to put Dumbrell in front.
When the drivers flipped, neither Winterbottom nor Mostert could find a way past Whincup - with series leader Winterbottom edging his team-mate for the front row.