Tim Macrow converted a front row start to victory in the second S5000 Qualifying Heat of the weekend at The Bend Motorsport Park.
The top eight from qualifying were inverted for the race, putting Macrow second on the grid alongside James Winslow on pole.
From the lights it was Macrow who got the better jump, heading the field into the first corner before seeing off pressure from James Golding to take the win.
In the pack Thomas Randle sent it around the outside of Ricky Capo at Turn 2, seizing the apex at Turn 3 to take seventh.
During the course of the opening lap Winslow fell victim to Golding as he joined Macrow up front to extend a small advantage by the end of the opening lap.
Golding then made a move for the lead at Turn 3, but Macrow opened the steering, ducking back underneath on corner exit to retake first place.
As the front two squabbled, John Martin moved up to third as Brown began shaping up to put a move on Winslow.
The battle between Capo and Randle continued, tucked up behind de Pasquale as the trio fell just out of touch with those ahead.
An off for Winslow on the third lap at Turn 9 saw the Englishman drop to the rear of the field.
A mistake from de Pasquale at the exit of the final turn saw him bounce over the grass, allowing Capo through as they dragged down the front straight.
De Pasquale was able to slot in ahead of Randle, who pounced half a lap later when a locked brake at Turn 6 saw the Erebus driver run wide, helping by damage to his front wing during his earlier excursion.
Out front, Golding’s charge blunted during the middle part of the race, and though he remained in contact with Macrow was unable to launch an attack.
Martin closed up on the leading pair but, like Golding, was powerless in the closing laps to make any further progress.
Brown drove to a lonely fourth place finish with Capo fending off Randle who was locked on to his gearbox while de Pasquale never fully recovered from his moment at the final turn.
The Feature Race, which uses points earned across the two Qualifying Heats to set the grid, is set to get underway at 1443 local time.
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