In icy, wet conditions at the northern Victorian venue, numerous cars slid off the road, with the Commodores of Scott Pye and Nick Percat colliding after Percat went off just 10 minutes into the session.  
 
Later the session was red flagged when Taz Douglas’ Commodore became bogged in the Turn 3 gravel trap.
 
In the meantime McLaughlin had clocked what would be the fastest time, the worsening conditions leaving the Shell V-Power Falcon driver's mark unchallenged.  
 
“It was sketchy,” said McLaughlin of the conditions. “Going down the front straight I was aquaplaning from the last corner all the way to Turn 3.
 
“I just told Ludo (Lacroix, engineer) to bring it in. I knew the car was okay so it’s just a matter of not wanting to get any dents in it.”
 
Falcon driver Cameron Waters was third of Rick Kelly's Nissan and the Commodore of reigning series champ Shane van Gisbergen.
 
But the level of difficulty presented by the conditions means the times were not truly representative, with many cars remaining in their garages for extended periods.  
 
“The track’s just so icy,” said Percat. “I put my foot on the brake and it locked. Unfortunately Scotty was there.
 
“I thought ‘there’s more expensive stuff at the front of it like an airbox, radiator and all that’, so I thought the driver’s door is the best option for us (to make contact with).
 
“I don’t know what happened to him (Pye), so sorry to Walkinshaw Racing, but you’re literally a passenger.
 
“The new surface, I think the oil is coming out the tar now so it’s like we’re on ice.
 
“I think we’re 10 seconds a lap slower than what we did a couple of years ago here in the wet so it’s keeping us on our toes.”
 
“It was a hard hit from inside the car,” Pye said. “It (the force) went straight through my back so it was a big hit.
 
“It’s crazy out there… it’s like ice. You breathe on the brake pedal and all of a sudden your lock-up lights are going off.
 
“Once the wheel has locked you’re not slowing down the car any more…. you’re just a passenger.”