Kostecki sets lap record for Supercars provisional pole
The Dick Johnson Racing star set a time of one minute and 25.630 seconds to be fastest ahead of Sunday's top 10 shootout at Taupo International Motorsport Park, which will decide the front of the grid for the 200km finale.
He shaved 0.0703 off Kiwi racer Matt Payne's record time from qualifying on Saturday.
Matt Stone Racing's Cam Hill was second-fastest and Team 18 driver Anton De Pasquale third.
Payne, who won the weekend's opening race, made the top-10 shootout in sixth and was joined by compatriot Ryan Wood, who was fourth-fastest.
Fellow Kiwi driver Andre Heimgartner was fifth.
Walkinshaw Andretti United ace Chaz Mostert, victorious in the second 120km sprint, scraped into the shootout in ninth.
A difficult weekend continued for Triple Eight stars Will Brown and Broc Feeney.
After sub-par results for the competition heavyweights in the opening two sprints on Saturday, Feeney qualified in 20th and Brown scraped 18th by just 0.0029 seconds to survive the first portion of qualifying.
Feeney, who had been second in the running, was eliminated after pitting late in the session instead of laying another lap.
Series leader Brown did not improve enough, qualifying in 12th.
His Tickford rival Cam Waters, second in the standings, squandered his chance to make the shootout, qualifying in 18th after locking up his wheels and running off-track at turn 11.
Drivers will return at 10.50am (AEST) for the top-10 shootout before the 10th race of the Supercars season gets underway at 1.05pm.
RACE 10 QUALIFYING RESULTS AHEAD OF TOP 10 SHOOTOUT:
1. Brodie Kostecki (Dick Johnson Racing)
2. Cam Hill (Matt Stone Racing)
3. Anton De Pasquale (Team 18)
4. Ryan Wood (Walkinshaw Andretti United)
5. Andre Heimgartner (Brad Jones Racing)
6. Matt Payne (Grove Racing)
7. Thomas Randle (Tickford Racing)
8. Kai Allen (Grove)
9. Chaz Mostert (WAU)
10. James Golding (PremiAir Nulon Racing)
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