A last-gasp victory in the fourth and final race of the Symmons Plains weekend has handed Sonic Motor Racing driver Anton De Pasquale an early lead in the 2013 Australian Formula Ford Championship.
The 17-year-old Victorian edged out Sam Power and Macauley Jones in a thrilling fourth and final race of an exciting season opener, with Power and Ash Quiddington – the other race winners this weekend – rounding out the podium.
A five-car battle for the lead change in the final corner with De Pasquale and Power almost colliding on the run to the line; the #2 driver penalised five championship points post-race for ‘not allowing sufficient racing room’ for his part in the fight.
Still, he held on to win the race as the top five cars crossed the line covered by just nine-tenths of a second.
De Pasquale (64), leads the Australian Formula Ford Championship eight points ahead of Power, who in turn sits two points up on Ash Quiddington. It was the young Victorian’s second win in a row – winning the final round of the 2012 championship at Winton late last year.
Simon Hodge (#3 Sonic Motor Racing Mygale) and Macauley Jones (#14 CAMS Rising Star Mygale) complete the top five.
Power started down the order in Race 3 after his race two clash with Liam Sager yesterday, but quickly worked his way into contention – climbing into the top three by lap six of 16.
He moved into the lead three laps from home following some hairpin contact between Quiddington and De Pasquale that left both cars with suspension damage and dropping down the order. Power – who was five seconds behind the leaders at the time – was the main beneficiary as he stormed through to a surprise win.
De Pasquale and Quiddington survived to finish second and third, respectively, with Hodge fourth and Jones fifth.
The next round of the Australian Formula Ford Championship will shift from the Apple Isle to the Sunshine State – racing set to return on the streets of Townsville between 5-7 July.
FORMULA FORD : Points after Tasmania
| Position | Driver | Point |
| 1 | Anton De Pasquale | 64 |
| 2 | Sam Power | 56 |
| 3 | Ash Quiddington | 54 |
| 4 | Simon Hodge | 36 |
| 5 | Macauley Jones | 34 |
| 6 | Jordan Lloyd | 28 |
| 7 | Liam Sager | 26 |
| 8 | Matt Campbell | 24 |
| 9 | Luke Marquis | 20 |
| 10 | Jayden Wallis | 9 |
