McLaughlin, who’ll share his Shell V-Power Falcon with Frenchman Alex Premat, was the man to beat after topping provisional qualifying.

As the final runner in the single-lap top 10 shootout, McLaughlin delivered with what was the fastest touring car lap ever on the Mount Panorama circuit.

At 2m03.8312s, it was also the first sub-2m04 second touring car lap at Bathurst.

“Alex (Premat) got out of the car after (practice session) P5 and said ‘there’s a three-eight in it'," McLaughlin said. "I thought he was joking.

”I never thought we could do a three-eight. I got through turn one really nice and knew I had the grip, and from that point on I knew I had to have a crack.”

An emotional McLaughlin received a standing ovation from rival teams and drivers as he returned to the pits following his record-breaking run.

The championship points leader was forced to dig deep during the lap after David Reynolds set a 2m04.27s. The Erebus Commodore driver had been a mere nine-hundredths of a second slower than McLaughlin to the first timed sector.

Reynolds will start alongside the Shell V-Power Racing Falcon after day in which the small Erebus team again emerged as clearly the best of the Holden runners.

“I did the best job I could; I was really happy with the lap,” Reynolds said. “There must be something wrong with us because last year we qualified 14th and were happy with that, whereas this year we’re disappointed with second!”

Mark Winterbottom will start third fastest, with a Falcon sporting a retro livery that recalls the Moffat Ford Dealers Falcons which finished 1-2 at Bathurst 40 years ago. That year the winning Moffat Falcon also started from third.