The Erebus driver ran last in the dash for pole courtesy of topping qualifying earlier today.
While he didn't top the first or second sectors on his lap, a rapid final sector helped him to a second career pole with a 1m11.848s.
"I've really enjoyed my time in these new Gen3 cars," said Kostecki.
"It really comes down to the team effort. They worked through Christmas and New Year and they've put together an awesome piece.
"It was good to have the track to myself, see all the fans out there, and put a tidy lap together."
Kostecki's pole margin was 0.15s – a hefty gap considering how close it was in the group that followed.
Cam Waters made up four spots on his regular qualifying effort to end up on the outside of the front row.
He did so with a 1m12.000s, which gapped Broc Feeney – another four-spot improver – by 0.0007s.
Tim Slade was impressive as he grabbed fourth on the grid with a 1m12.001s.
David Reynolds was well within a tenth of Waters in fifth with a 1m12.026s, as was Shane van Gisbergen, who qualified sixth with a 1m12.042s after a lock-up into Turn 2.
Chaz Mostert was the biggest loser from the Shootout dropping from second in qualifying to seventh on the grid.
Andre Heimgartner qualified eighth after running scrubbed tyres, with Scott Pye and James Golding to share the fifth row.
The first 250-kilometre heat for the Newcastle 500 kicks off at 3:20pm local time.
