Surprise top qualifier at Gold Coast V8s 

Source: PhotosportSprint Gas Racing's Jason Bargwanna

Holden veteran Jason Bargwanna has stunned the V8 Supercar big names to snare pole for Sunday's opening 150km race at Surfers Paradise. 

The Sprint Gas Racing driver clocked a one minute, 49.989 second lap to claim the front position on the grid ahead of Ford's Craig Lowndes. 

It is the second career pole for Bargwanna, who only returned to V8 Supercars this season after failing to secure a drive in 2008. 

"Man, that is amazing," Bargwanna told Australia's Seven television network. 

"I just got it lit ...  just had a real red-hot go and that was good, really good. 

"To start on pole here is so important. The car was really good, it has been good in last couple of race meetings but I bet the odds on that one were pretty high weren't they?" 

The second row of the grid will also be a Holden/Ford affair with Rick Kelly qualifying just ahead of championship leader Jamie Whincup. 

The TeamVodafone star's main rival for the series Will Davison will line up in fifth position alongside Saturday's pole sitter Mark Winterbottom. 

Davison had a scare midway through the 20-minute all-in session when he collided with a tyre bundle, but appeared to get away with nothing more than cosmetic damage. 

His Holden Racing Team teammate Garth Tander faces a battle, after only managing a 12th place qualifying position. 

Sunday's first race starts at 2:05pm with a second 150km event beginning at 6.05pm (NZT).

Results from Qualifying 3 in the V8 Supercar Challenge, the 11th round of the series, at Surfers Paradise Street Circuit (4.5km):

1. Jason Bargwanna (Holden) 1min49.9887sec
2. Craig Lowndes (Ford) 1:50.0496
3. Rick Kelly (Holden) 1:50.0895
4. Jamie Whincup (Ford) 1:50.0989
5. Will Davison (Holden) 1:50.1172
6. Mark Winterbottom (Ford) 1:50.1410
7. Russell Ingall (Holden) 1:50.2410
8. Shane Van Gisbergen (Ford) 1:50.3107
9. Michael Caruso (Holden) 1:50.3158
10. Greg Murphy (Holden)