Sandown 500: Erebus 1–2 in practice, McLaughlin fastest Kiwi

Erebus Motorsport, led by lead driver David Reynolds, have topped Friday main driver practice for Sunday's Penrite Oils Sandown 500 — the final round of the Supercars Championship Pirtek Enduro Cup. 

Reynolds led teammate Anton de Pasquale in the second of the day's three practice sessions, with the 2017 Bathurst 1000 champ setting the fastest lap a Supercar has ever completed at the Melbourne facility (1:07.777). Scott McLaughlin was best of the rest in third, two tenths off Reynolds, with Chaz Mostert, Lee Holdsworth, and Shane van Gisbergen rounding out the top six.

The first and last sessions of the day were both co-driver exclusive sessions, allowing each team's part-time drivers mileage ahead of tomorrow's co-driver qualifying race. 

Sessions one and two were both undertaken in tricky conditions with split weather; rain mixed with dry running. Garth Tander, co-driver to van Gisbergen, topped the opening session over the Kelly Racing Nissans of Bryce Fullwood (Kiwi Andre Heimgartner's co-driver) and Dale Wood. Warren Luff and Jack Perkins completed the top five in the two Walkinshaw Andretti United Holden Commodores.

The book-ending final session was eventually led by Lowndes — looming dark clouds thankfully mostly staying away for the duration. The seven-time Bathurst winner set a 1:07.835 to ironically be the quickest RBHRT driver of the day and the second fastest driver period. Fabian Coulthard's co-driver Tony D'Alberto and a continually impressive Wood finished second and third, over Tander and Perkins. 

In the mixed conditions there were naturally a few minor offs. The Red Bull Holden Racing Team had one for each of their cars; Lowndes having spun harmlessly at turn four in practice one, and Whincup having toured through the sand-trap at the end of the back straight with a minor kiss of the tyre wall for good measure.

That sand-trap captured a few drivers across the day; perhaps an indirect result of the re-profiled high speed left-hand 'Dandenong Road' bend just before it. The two other high profile offs at the corner occurred simultaneously at the end of practice two; Scott Pye and Mostert following each other off to bring out the yellow flag and effectively end the session prematurely for anyone hoping for a final quick lap. 

Although, none of their moments were quite as big as that of Toyota 86 Series racer Craig Thornton. Slipping up during the support category's qualifying, the youngster over-corrected and slammed into the outside Armco at almost a 90-degree angle. It was a spectacular crash that delayed the third Supercars session, as officials repaired the damaged wall. 

Now teams prepare for tomorrow's running, which kicks off with a traditional qualifying session before moving into two short qualifying races; one for each driver. The finishing order of the last race (contested by the primary drivers in each car) defines the grid for Sunday's 500km enduro.

Sandown 500 Friday, practice 1 (top 10)

1. Garth Tander
2. Bryce Fullwood
3 Dale Wood
4. Warren luff
5. Jack Perkins
6. Tony D'Alberto
7. James Moffat
8. Luke Youlden
9. Dean Fiore
10. Alex Davison
11. Alex Premat
12. Thomas Randle
13. Michael Caruso
14. Will Brown
15. Chris Pither
16. Craig Lowndes
17. Ash Walsh
18. Alex Rullo
19. Tim Blanchard
20. Richard Muscat
21. Dean Canto
22. Jack Smith
23. Jonathon Webb
24. Steven Richards
25. Jake Kostecki

Sandown 500 Friday, practice 2 (top 10)

1. David Reynolds
2. Anton de Pasquale
3. Scott McLaughlin
4. Chaz Mostert
5. Lee Holdsworth
6. Shane van Gisbergen
7. Mark Winterbottom
8. Will Davison
9. Jamie Whincup
10. Andre Heimgartner
11. James Courtney
12. Cameron Waters
13. Tim Slade
14. James Golding
15. Rick Kelly
16. Nick Percat
17. Fabian Coulthard
18. Richie Stanaway
19. Simona De Silvestro
20. Garry Jacobson
21. Todd Hazelwood
22. Scott Pye
23. Brodie Kostecki
24. Macauley Jones
25. Jack Le Brocq

Sandown 500 Friday, practice 3 (top 10)

1. Craig Lowndes
2. Tony D'Alberto
3. Dale Wood
4. Garth Tander
5. Jack Perkins
6. Ash Walsh
7. Will Brown
8. James Moffat
9. Alex Premat
10. Thomas Randle
11. Michael Caruso
12. Warren Luff
13. Bryce Fullwood
14. Luke Youlden
15. Alex Davison
16. Richard Muscat
17. Steven Richards
18. Chris Pither
19. Dean Fiore
20. Jack Smith
21. Tim Blanchard
22. Jake Kostecki
23. Dean Canto
24. Jonathon Webb
25. Alex Rullo