PERCAT'S PERFECT LAP SECURES POLE FOR COATES HIRE RACING

Nick Percat driving the Coates Hire Racing Porsche Carrera will start his first ever Carrera Cup Australia race from pole position after edging out Craig Baird in qualifying at the Clipsal 500.

Percat, who joined the Porsche class this season set the stunning pole position time pole time of 1:22.60s on his final of five consecutive hot laps to edge out current champion Craig Baird by 0.19s, while fellow V8 Supercars endurance co-drivers Warren Luff and Steven Richards finished the session third and fourth fastest.

Michael Patrizi triggered the only red flag, with the West Australians damaged Porsche needing to be recovered after an incident at Turn eight.

Percats pole position lap was a new qualifying lap record for the category, improving on the previous record set by now-V8 Supercars driver Alex Davison in 2012.

After securing his debut pole position a delighted Percat said: "Its a dream start for us; a local driver with an Adelaide-based team putting the Porsche on pole position. We knew that wed have good pace later in the season but I definitely didnt expect to roll out the car and be mixing it with Baird for pole on debut in Adelaide, said Percat.

To put this car on pole position against these guys was the most rewarding pole position in my career, mainly because you have to push the car so hard to get there. Its been a really good day.

The Coates Hire Porsche will take to the track tomorrow at 2.30pm for the first of three Porsche Carrera Cup Australia