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The Super2 round which unearthed a future main game star

27 Aug 2021
Four years ago, De Pasquale claimed his maiden round win
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Almost four years to the day, Anton De Pasquale finally broke through for his maiden Dunlop Super2 Series round win.

Now driving for main game heavyweights Shell V-Power Racing Team, De Pasquale claimed overall honours at Sydney Motorsport Park.

To the Sydney round, Todd Hazelwood - who would go on to win the title - had his rivals breathing down his neck.

Two-time series champion and 2012 Bathurst winner Paul Dumbrell slashed Hazelwood’s points lead from 66 to 39 points with the Race 1 win in Sydney.

Highlights - Race 1 Dunlop Super2 Series 2017 Sydney

Dumbrell beat pole man Garry Jacobson in the early stages and was never headed, with Jacobson dropping down the field following a poor start.

De Pasquale, who had won a race earlier in the year at Phillip Island, was second the runaway Dumbrell.

The key to the weekend for the front-runners was being able to keep Richie Stanaway, who was running a Prodrive one-off entry, behind.

Stanaway, a former open-wheel ace, had been signed up by the Ford team for the enduros and was sharpening his tools in the development series.

Dumbrell and De Pasquale may have led the way, but Stanaway kept his presence felt with third in Race 1.

Dumbrell dominated from pole position in Race 2, and closed to just six points behind series leader Hazelwood, who struggled to ninth.

A grid penalty saw De Pasquale start fourth, but he again finished second ahead of Jacobson and Stanaway.

The race was much more dramatic than the previous day’s encounter; a Safety Car was called after Matt Chahda had a scary moment through Turn 1.

Highlights - Race 2 Dunlop Super2 Series 2017 Sydney

On the restart, Josh Kean was turned around in front of the field, but escaped a major accident.

De Pasquale’s Race 3 win, which helped him accumulate the most points from the three races so far, was built off a faster start than Dumbrell.

De Pasquale had a clear lead into Turn 1, and extended his lead to over six seconds before claiming victory.

Stanaway demoted Dumbrell to third on the opening lap, with Hazelwood vaulting forwards thanks to a brilliant start.

Series leader Todd Hazelwood battled hard, rocketing through the pack after starting ninth.

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Hazelwood and Stanaway battled over second in the final laps before Stanaway bowled a wide at Turn 8, gifting the points leader second.

The fourth and final race of the weekend was Stanaway’s time to shine, the Kiwi sneaking past De Pasquale and Hazelwood at the first Turn 1.

The race was action-packed off the start, with Richard Muscat making contact with Will Brown.

Jack Le Brocq was speared into the inside wall, and was out on the spot.

Andrew Jones was turned around exiting Turn 1, with Shae Davies also caught up and forced into retirement.

De Pasquale snatched the lead back with a daring move on the Safety Car restart, but Stanway fought back and went on to claim a maiden Super2 win.

It was enough for third overall on the weekend for Stanaway, who just weeks later, won the Sandown 500 with Cameron Waters.

Highlights - Race 4 Dunlop Super2 Series 2017 Sydney

"I can’t ask for much more than that,” the Kiwi said.

"We haven’t had the smoothest weekend, we didn’t have a great run through quali and the first few races, but we saved some good tyres and pieced it all together in the last one.

"I’m very grateful for the opportunity from PRA and all of the sponsors that jumped on board this weekend. I’ve really enjoyed it and am really happy to get that win.

"I came into the weekend wanting to win but I was prepared for a tough fight. I just tried to do my best and we got there in the end."

De Pasquale secured the round win despite dropping behind Macauley Jones and Garry Jacobson in the closing laps.

Dumbrell was fifth in Race 3 and second overall, and slashed Hazelwood’s points lead to just five points after the latter finished eighth.

Within weeks, De Pasquale would be announced alongside David Reynolds at Erebus Motorsport, and won in Darwin last year.

For 2021, De Pasquale was elevated to the plumb Dick Johnson Racing drive with Scott McLaughlin and Fabian Coulthard departing.

He has taken four ARMOR ALL Pole Positions this season, and won Race 10 in Tailem Bend, which was also Ford’s 400th ATCC/Supercars race win.

The 2021 Dunlop Super2 Series will resume at Winton on October 2-3.

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