Devastation, confusion in stunning Team 18 blunder
Anton De Pasquale runs out of fuel on the final lap in Bathurst
De Pasquale fails to finish, Brodie Kostecki and DJR steal win
Three years after double Bathurst humiliation, Team 18 has felt the wrath of the Mountain once again in the most heartbreaking way possible.
Anton De Pasquale ran out of fuel on the 161st and final lap of Sunday's Repco Bathurst 1000, gifting victory to Brodie Kostecki, Todd Hazelwood and the Shell V-Power Racing Team.
Engineer Andrew Donnelly implored De Pasquale to "maximum" fuel save, but it still wasn't enough after a late Shannons Safety Car for the crashed Chaz Mostert.
Kostecki picked off De Pasquale heading down Mountain Straight on the last lap, prompting wild scenes in the Dick Johnson Racing Team garage.
Heads and faces slumped at Team 18, which also ran both cars short in the 2023 Great Race.
Lee Holdsworth, who was ashen-faced on the run home, was lost for words, and was shocked the #18 DEWALT Camaro was so close on fuel.
"No, no I can't believe it," said a despondent Holdsworth.
"I didn't know we were so close on fuel, I don't know what's happened.
"Obviously a massive disappointment, I've got no words mate."
Scott Pye was in one of the cars that had to stop late on in 2023, and in the bp Cooldown Room, admitted he had felt similar desolation.
"That's the second time, me and Frosty [Mark Winterbottom] when we were there pitted on the second last lap. Disaster," Pye said in the Cool Down Room post-race.
Pye combined with Will Brown to finish second, with Zach Bates and Aaron Seton third for Matt Stone Racing.
