The 2022 Aussie Racing Cars champion chased down Perkins over several laps, reeling in the Triple Eight co-driver, eventually taking the lead at the penultimate corner of the race.
Perkins came home just 0.34s short of victory, with young gun Josh Trappett rounding out the podium.
After stunning in qualifying, Harry Bresnehan started front he front row, having traded fast laps with Perkins.
Bresnehan led the way early, capitalising on a slow start for Perkins.
The protege of Nick Percat led the opening lap, before coming off the road at Turn 5, slipping back to fifth spot.
Perkins took the lead from Anderson and ran away at the front.
Anderson slipped back into the clutches of Trappett, while Bresnehan fought to pass Joe Fawcett.
Formula Ford graduate Fawcett had two major sideways moments, once out of the final corner, and once going for a spin through the grass.
Bresnehan held onto fourth spot while Fawcett recovered and finished in fifth place.
Anderson set about a charge to chase down Perkins, catching at a fast rate over the closing laps.
A tap on Perkins’ rear bumper on the penultimate lap was not enough to unsettle the leader, as the pair continued to battle.
Anderson made his way past Perkins on the final lap to steal the win.
Imogen Radburn came home in sixth position, ahead of Brock Giblin and Matt Kiss.
Ben Dunn took the win in the Dark Horse Legends class in ninth position, with John Goodacre and Keith Kassulke rounding out the field.
Mustang Cup Australia returns on Sunday for qualifying at 8:45am ACST, before Race 2 at 12:55pm.
Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge
Xavier Avramides took his first Porsche Sprint Challenge victory in the opening race of the weekend in treacherous conditions.
The rain began to fall immediately prior to the race, which saw all cars file back into the pit lane after the formation lap to switch to wet weather tyres.
Johor Motorsports Racing junior Hayden Haikal started on pole position, but lost out at the start to Avramides, dropping back to sixth in the opening corners.
Eric Constantinidis drew the first and only safety car of the race, finding the grass at Turn 1.
Kamal Mrad took the lead shortly after the restart, closely followed by Lincoln Taylor.
Taylor made contact at the final corner with Avramides and spun, recovering to finish 13th.
James Lodge fought his way into the lead battle, coming away with second position, with Mrad rounding out the podium.
Haikal recovered to fourth, with a quiet race for Daniel Quimby in fifth spot.
Anthony Gilbertson took the win in the Pro-Am class, coming home in 12th outright.
Haikal bounced back to take the victory in Race 2.
The Malaysian young gun capitalised on a spin from Mrad following a safety car restart.
Haikal led home Lodge and Hunter Robb in third place.
Race 1 winner Avramides was shuffled back through the field on two separate occasions, each time the victim of a late dive.
The safety car was drawn when Josh Thomas found the gravel trap at the penultimate corner.
Lodge led the field to the restart, where Robb dived to the outside of Mrad, resulting in a spin for the latter, catching out Diesel Thomas.
Haikal inherited the lead and led from there.
Issue for Gilbertson saw him drop through the field, resulting in Constantinidis taking the Pro-Am win in 12th outright.
Porsche Michelin Sprint Challenge returns for the 45-minute Jim Richards Enduro Cup race on Sunday at 11:50am ACST.
Ferrari Challenge Australasia
Damian Hamilton took victory in the opening Ferrari Challenge race of the weekend.
Steve Wyatt led the way for the majority of the race, but was not able to navigate the lapped car of Ross Tomain, allowing Hamilton through.
Wyatt was forced to settle for second position, ahead of Robert Scott in third.
Enzo Cheng came home in fourth, while David Trewern won the Coppa Shell class in fifth position outright.
Tomain finished 11th outright to win the Trofeo Pirelli 488 class.
Ferrari Challenge returns on Sunday for qualifying at 10:50am ACST, with Race 2 commencing at 3:45pm.
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