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Decisive pass delivers Mawson Symmons Plains sweep
A DECISIVE overtake on early leader Cooper Webster has delivered Joey Mawson a clean sweep in the opening round of the S5000 Australian Drivers’ Championship for the Motorsport Australia Gold Star award.
Beaten into turn one for the first time all weekend, Mawson had to trail early leader Cooper Webster for the first 14 laps after the fast-starting Versa Motorsport driver got the jump from the gripped-up right-hand side of the Symmons Plains grid.
Mawson timed his move for the 15th of 26 laps, drawing close to Webster on the run along the Symmons’ back straight before a stunning pass down the inside at turn six caught the leader out.
From there the 88Racing by Team BRM driver was never headed, pulling away to claim his third win from three starts and commence his quest for a Gold Star sweep in style.
Webster was a stout second and holds the same position in the championship, while James Golding had to overcome his teammate Aaron Cameron to finish third and complete the podium.
Cameron had held the spot for the first 18 laps before Golding was able to sneak past, leaving his GRM teammate to deal with the flying Roberto Merhi.
The pair battled for fourth and fifth place though Cameron was able to cling on to bank valuable championship points.
Merhi set the race’s quickest lap en-route to fifth position, while Blake Purdie’s Nippy’s entry held out Jordan Boys in the run to the line.
Zane Goddard battled a broken front wing to salvage eighth, in front of Zane Goddard, Nic Carroll and Mark Rosser.
The S5000 Australian Drivers’ Championship returns to the circuit at the Phillip Island Grand Prix circuit in May, at round 3 of the Shannons SpeedSeries.