Sydney Supercars: De Pasquale wins opener
Anton De Pasquale converted his sublime form into an opening race win under lights at Sydney Motorsport Park.
Photo by: Edge Photographics
The Dick Johnson Racing ace made light work of the first 32-lapper of the weekend, turning pole into a lights-to-flag win.
Shane van Gisbergen, who made good early headway from sixth on the grid, did his best to challenge De Pasquale with an overcut strategy.
But even stopping four laps later didn't give him the pace to run De Pasquale down in the second stint, De Pasquale banking his second win in DJR colours to the tune of 5s.
"That was good, it was good fun," said De Pasquale. "It's always fun at night. It was quite a good battle with Will [Davison] into Turns 1 and 2 and there guys delivered me an awesome car. It was good to convert this one."
Behind van Gisbergen there was a thrilling late battle for the last spot on the podium.
Nick Percat found himself running third mid-way through the second stint, but under significant pressure from Erebus pair Brodie Kostecki and Will Brown, who had both taken on four new tyres rather than two during their stops.
Percat's stubborn defence held out until the penultimate lap when Kostecki finally found his way past, demoting the #8 BJR Holden to fourth place.
Percat did manage to hold off Brown, who was unlucky not to be well clear in third place based on his opening stint.
The rookie had run second until late in the first stint when he was passed by van Gisbergen, and then lost more pace in his stop when a crew member dropped a wheel nut.
Fighting back to fifth was, in that context, an impressive effort.
Chaz Mostert finished sixth ahead Will Davison. The #17 DJR driver actually made the best start out of any of the front-runners, but with nowhere to go past De Pasquale and Brown on the first lap ran wide.
That cost him critical momentum, Davison swiftly losing a heap of places and never finding his way back to the front group.
David Reynolds finished eighth, Jamie Whincup ninth and Tim Slade 10th.
Race results:
Cla | # | Driver | Car | Gap |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 11 |
Anton De Pasquale
|
Ford Mustang GT | |
2 | 97 |
Shane van Gisbergen
|
Holden Commodore ZB | 5.160 |
3 | 99 |
Brodie Kostecki
|
Holden Commodore ZB | 10.389 |
4 | 8 |
Nick Percat
|
Holden Commodore ZB | 10.964 |
5 | 9 |
Will Brown
|
Holden Commodore ZB | 11.677 |
6 | 25 |
Chaz Mostert
|
Holden Commodore ZB | 16.936 |
7 | 17 |
Will Davison
|
Ford Mustang GT | 18.520 |
8 | 26 |
David Reynolds
|
Ford Mustang GT | 22.594 |
9 | 88 |
Jamie Whincup
|
Holden Commodore ZB | 22.812 |
10 | 3 |
Tim Slade
|
Ford Mustang GT | 27.516 |
11 | 19 |
Fabian Coulthard
|
Holden Commodore ZB | 36.615 |
12 | 18 |
Mark Winterbottom
|
Holden Commodore ZB | 37.137 |
13 | 6 |
Cameron Waters
|
Ford Mustang GT | 37.958 |
14 | 14 |
Todd Hazelwood
|
Holden Commodore ZB | 38.593 |
15 | 7 |
Andre Heimgartner
|
Ford Mustang GT | 38.798 |
16 | 96 |
Macauley Jones
|
Holden Commodore ZB | 41.790 |
17 | 22 |
Garry Jacobson
|
Holden Commodore ZB | 43.893 |
18 | 2 |
Bryce Fullwood
|
Holden Commodore ZB | 45.062 |
19 | 20 |
Scott Pye
|
Holden Commodore ZB | 45.233 |
20 | 4 |
Jack Smith
|
Holden Commodore ZB | 45.382 |
21 | 5 |
Jack Le Brocq
|
Ford Mustang GT | 45.573 |
22 | 44 |
James Courtney
|
Ford Mustang GT | 53.909 |
23 | 34 |
Jake Kostecki
|
Holden Commodore ZB | 56.952 |
24 | 35 |
Zane Goddard
|
Holden Commodore ZB | 1'00.729 |
View full results |
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