Jack Le Brocq has cemented his position at the head of the Australian Formula Ford Championship, taking a clean sweep of the three races on the streets of Townsville this weekend.
With all of Le Brocq’s championship rivals coming to grief on the concrete lined circuit, the points gap to his nearest challenger is now the equivalent of over two race wins.
Le Brocq didn’t have things go all his own way though, with the 20 year old coming under pressure from various challengers over the course of the weekend, including Simon Hodge, who finished second overall.
“In the races we had the speed and the race craft to stay ahead and pick up the wins,” Le Brocq said.
“It’s unfortunate for some of the other guys out there that had problems this weekend.
“Still, to have a two race points advantage up our sleeves at the halfway point of the season is a good feeling.”
Joining Hodge as a first time visitor to the national championship podium was Sam Power, whose weekend was highlighted with a second place finish in Race 2.
The carnage of the first race was continued on the opening lap of the Sunday morning heat, when Shae Davies slowed directly in front of Mathew Hart through the fast turn nine sweeper.
In scenes reminiscent of Saturday’s spectacular incident, both cars were eliminated on the spot.
Following the restart, Le Brocq was able to hold off Power, Hodge, Jonathon Venter, Macauley Jones, Rhett Noonan, Matt Campbell and Greg Holloway.
Jones’s final race ended in a skirmish at the first turn of the first lap, with the Safety Car called upon to remove his stricken car.
Noonan’s return to action after a major overnight rebuilt also came to naught in the finale, when he found the turn three wall on Lap 5 of 11, prompting a second Safety Car.
Mathew Hart completed a brilliant recovery to finish second, falling just short of Le Brocq at the chequered flag.
Hodge was third from Power, Davies, Campbell, Holloway and Venter.
In the championship chase, Le Brocq sits on 205 points, 41 ahead of Hart, with Garry Jacobson a further 25 back after being unable to compete in the final two races after a spectacular rollover in the opening heat.
The Australian Formula Ford Championship remains in Queensland for the next championship round, to be held at Queensland Raceway on August 3-5.