Sargent extends Formula Ford championship lead

Tom Sargent has extended his lead in the Australian Formula Ford Championship after taking pole position and a race win in Round 2 at Wakefield Park.

Sargent edged Cody Burcher for round honours courtesy of the extra point for topping qualifying, after the latter snatched victory in Race 2 with a forceful, last-corner move.

Race 3 was a non-result due to a rollover for Valentino Astuti, who had clashed with Jake Donaldson.

That made for a disrupted start and finish to proceedings at the Goulburn circuit, with qualifying shortened to 10 minutes due to fog.

Sargent grabbed pole by a margin of a tenth of a second over Noah Sands, and got the jump at the start of Race 1.

Burcher went down the inside of Sands at the Fish Hook on Lap 1 and held second position for the balance of the nine-lap contest, as Sargent managed his early margin to the end.

Astuti took third, ahead of Sands and Donaldson.

In Race 2, Sargent again led the field away with Burcher in pursuit, until matters came to a head on the 10th and final lap.

Burcher showed the nose at the last corner and his left-front wheel made contact with Sargent’s right-rear, putting the Sargent Motorsport entry wide.

That gave the man in #36 the momentum for the run to the chequered flag and he pipped the long-time leader by 0.15s.

Rounding out the top five were Sands, Astuti, and Donaldson.

Sargent was back in the lead midway through Race 3 when a wild crash brought a halt to that encounter.

Astuti had ridden over the rear of Donaldson’s car on the run to the Fish Hook, causing the #2 Sonic Motor Racing Services entry to roll multiple times before coming to rest on its side.

The teenager was able to crawl out and, despite appearing ginger as he walked away from the crash site, was uninjured.

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The non-result means Sargent is 14 points up Burcher after two rounds.

“It was a very nasty incident for Valentino and I’m thankful he was OK,” said the championship leader.

“It’s a bit frustrating the final race didn’t count, but I’m stoked with the overall result.

“We didn’t expect Wakefield Park to be one of our stronger rounds, so to some away with the overall round win and extend my championship lead is a great outcome.”

Round 3 will be held at Winton on June 11-13.