Sunday, 26 November 2017: Ford star Scott McLaughlin has claimed pole position for the final Supercars race of the season.

Scott McLaughlin is closing in on a maiden Supercars title after securing pole position for the season's final race in Newcastle.

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The 24-year-old Ford star posted a dominant top-10 shootout lap around the new street circuit, putting more than three tenths of a second between himself and championship rival Jamie Whincup.

Whincup will start Sunday's season finale from fifth on the grid.

His Triple Eight Racing teammate Shane van Gisbergen will begin the 250km race alongside McLaughlin, the title favourite edging him by three hundredths of a second.

McLaughlin will be crowned champion if he finishes 11th or better in the 250km race after six-time title winner Whincup endured a disastrous race on Saturday, finishing 23rd.

It's the 16th time the Kiwi ace has claimed pole this season, as he hunts his ninth and sweetest race win for the year.

"I was pretty nervous. The whole qualifying was nervous and I really focused for that shootout lap and got it together," McLaughlin said.

"I need to focus now and just get on with it."

Whincup started the weekend 30 points ahead of McLaughlin but the Ford star's victory on Saturday saw him leapfrog the Supercars legend and take a 78-point lead.

"That's all she's got," Whincup said.

"We haven't been the quickest this weekend but we'll see where we end up."

Bathurst 1000 winner David Reynolds will lead the second line alongside Prodrive Racing Australia's Mark Winterbottom.

McLaughlin's DJR Team Penske teammate Fabian Coulthard, whom he wrapped up the teams' prize with on Saturday, was eighth in the shootout.

Retiring veteran Todd Kelly will start from 10th, one of three Nissans in the top 10 qualifiers with his brother Rick set to start from sixth and Michael Caruso from seventh.

Sunday's 95-lap race commences at 3.40pm AEDT.