Erebus’ Will Brown secured an impressive Supercars victory from pole in the opener of the Tasmania Supersprint in a race marred by early carnage.
Brown set the pace early in Symmons Plains and didn’t give up his lead. He finished ahead of Andre Heimgartner in second place and two-time defending champion Shane van Gisbergen in third place.
It was the 24-year-old’s second win of the season after prevailing in the second round of the Perth Round last month.
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“Andre was frantic at the end, I could see he was catching me a bit, I was trying to save my tyres,” said Brown.
“It definitely went back and forth in the end…When I came off the line and saw the guys fighting behind me, I knew I had to stay out there and watch for the undercut.
“I’m thrilled, it’s great to get another win.”
However, Brown’s Coca Coca Racing teammate Brodie Kostecki did not have a good day as he was involved in an incident early in the race.
The Championship leader fell back several laps after touching Tickford’s Cameron Waters, while two-time Bathurst 1000 winner Chaz Mostert was eliminated entirely after a clash with Red Bull Ampol’s up-and-coming Broc Feeney.
“We had a contact that sucks because that put him (Mostert) out of the running and I ended up way down, which was frustrating,” Feeney said.
Kostecki and Mostert started the championship day in first and second place, but the former’s lead in the title race shrank to 74 points thanks to van Gisbergen’s podium.
Qualifying for the second race of the weekend continues on Sunday, followed immediately by another session to set the starting grid for the third sprint.
TASMANIA SUPERSPRINT RACE ONE
1. Will Brown (Coca Cola Racing)
2. Andre Heimgartner (Brad Jones Racing)
3. Shane van Gisbergen (Red Bull Ampol)
4. Cam Waters (Tickford Racing)
5. Scott Pye (Team 18)