Photo: Garry Rogers Motorsport

Michael Caruso fastest in Friday Gold Coast testing

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Garry Rogers Motorsport’s Michael Caruso, sharing with Jamie Hinchcliffe, was fastest of all on the first day of the Gold Coast 600, ahead of the two Ford Performance Racing Falcons of Mark Winterbottom and David Reynolds.

Practice sessions 1 and 4 were open to all drivers, whilst 2 & 3 were reserved for the international drivers only. In both of the international sessions, it was Marc Lieb who was fastest in the Tekno Autosports Holden Commodore, which he’ll be sharing with Jonathon Webb this weekend.

Lieb’s best time of 1:12.462 was just under eight-tenths of a second slower than Caruso’s fastest time, which was set in P4 as were all of the best times of the day.

Lieb’s closest challenger in practice three was IndyCar driver Ryan Briscoe in the #2 Holden Racing Team Commodore, with Simon Pagenaud third in the #4 Stone Brothers Racing Ford.

In the overall end-of day standings, Will Davison and Mika Salo were fourth fastest, with Tony D’Alberto and Superstars Series regular Vitantonio Liuzzi fifth quickest.

Jamie Whincup, who shares his Commodore with Sebastien Bourdais this weekend was sixth fastest in the Triple Eight Holden, with Tim Slade and David Brabham seventh for SBR, James Moffat and GT1 driver Peter Kox eighth for DJR, and Darren Turner and James Courtney ninth fastest in the #22 HRT Commodore.

Rounding out the top ten was Craig Lowndes and Richard Lyons in the #888 Triple Eight Holden.

Qualifying and the first race of the weekend takes place on Saturday, with the international drivers required to drive the car for at least one-third of the 302 kilometre race.