Pair of Pauls lead SST Darwin practice, Weel first

Friday’s Boost Mobile Super Trucks practice at Hidden Valley Raceway was a good session for drivers named Paul. Paul Weel was the fastest ahead of Paul Morris and eight other drivers.

Weel has shown impressive pace to begin the 2021 season starting at Tasmania in April, where he led both practice and qualifying. At Darwin, he paced the ten with a fastest lap time of 1:35.03, over half a second faster than Morris’ 1:35.09. Weel’s fastest lap came on his fourth of six runs, while the points leader Morris did so on five of seven.

Greg Gartner was third ahead of Trav Milburn; both drivers are making their first starts of the season, with Milburn returning after last racing in 2018. Gartner (1:35.21) and Milburn (1:35.35) set their best times on their sixth circuits.

Nash Morris finished eighth in his return to a stadium truck after missing Tasmania due to injury. Craig Dontas was originally on the entry list as the driver of the #45, but Morris ultimately fills that spot in his #94. Russell Ingall, who was the interim driver for Morris at Tasmania, was fifth quickest in the session.

Rob Whyte and Shaun Richardson placed sixth and seventh, respectively; Whyte is back in SST for the first time since 2016. In ninth was Dave Casey, who battled brake issues throughout the session.

“First run didn’t go too bad,” said Casey in an Instagram Story. “Struggled a little with the brakes so Rosco (Ross McClelland) is changing out some pads for me. […] Felt pretty good. We’re having to push harder in some areas but yeah, had a blast.”

Shae Davies did not set a time due to problems with his truck.

The session was shortened from the intended twenty-minute duration, presumably as the Repco Supercars Championship‘s practice ran long, to thirteen minutes. SST qualifying will take place on Friday at 9:40 AM ACST.

Practice results