Holden driver Anton De Pasquale scores first win in chaotic Darwin Supercars opener

HOLDEN Commodore driver Anton De Pasquale has scored a maiden Supercars race win in a wild opening leg of the BetEasy Darwin Triple Crown at Hidden Valley

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HOLDEN Commodore driver Anton De Pasquale scored a maiden Supercars race win in a wild opening leg of the BetEasy Darwin Triple Crown at Hidden Valley on Saturday.

Championship contenders Scott McLaughlin, Jamie Whincup and Shane van Gisbergen all copped time penalties during the race for a range of incidents.

De Pasquale led home James Courtney in today’s race which had to be ended four laps short of its intended duration.

Whincup, second in the championship at the moment, was third across the line but dropped back to 17th place after a 15-second time penalty for an unsafe pit release during a chaotic round of stops..

HIGHLIGHTS: 🏁 What did you make of that one?

➡️ https://t.co/k2B5u3DUPy #VASC

— Supercars (@supercars) August 15, 2020

Fourth-placed Scott Pye took the third podium place after Whincup’s penalty.

Championship leader McLaughlin and Shane van Gisbergen, currently 7th, finished 20th and 11th in the final result after their penalties were applied.

McLaughlin, who crossed the line eighth, was also slapped with a 15-second penalty for a restart infringement during the first Safety Car.

So much chaos its hard to keep track of!

The @vodafoneAU Safety Car is out on the circuit! #VASC pic.twitter.com/TcxcpHsetc

— Supercars (@supercars) August 15, 2020

Shane van Gisbergen was forced to serve a drive-through penalty after making contact with Nick Percat, sending him into a spin that also took out Todd Hazelwood.

Van Gisbergen recovered to finish 11th.

Races 2 and 3 of the Darwin Triple Crown (both 38 laps) will be held in a jam-packed day of action on Sunday.

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Darwin Supercars - Race 1 results:

1 Anton De Pasquale Holden Commodore ZB

2 James Courtney Ford Mustang GT

3 Scott Pye Holden Commodore ZB

4 Mark Winterbottom Holden Commodore ZB

5 Chris Pither Holden Commodore ZB

6 Fabian Coulthard Ford Mustang GT

7 Chaz Mostert Holden Commodore ZB

8 Cameron Waters Ford Mustang GT

9 Andre Heimgartner Ford Mustang GT

10 Lee Holdsworth Ford Mustang GT

11 Shane van Gisbergen Holden Commodore ZB

12 Jack Smith Holden Commodore ZB

13 David Reynolds Holden Commodore ZB

14 Jack Le Brocq Ford Mustang GT

15 Rick Kelly Ford Mustang GT

16 Alex Davison Holden Commodore ZB

17 Jamie Whincup Holden Commodore ZB

18 Todd Hazelwood Holden Commodore ZB

19 Garry Jacobson Holden Commodore ZB

20 Scott McLaughlin Ford Mustang GT

21 Bryce Fullwood Holden Commodore ZB

DNF Macauley Jones Holden Commodore ZB

DNF Jake Kostecki Holden Commodore ZB

DNF Nick Percat Holden Commodore ZB