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OJEDA TAKES STUNNING WINTON VICTORY
In a stunning 13-lap finale at Winton Ojeda started his Anderson Motorsport Ford Falcon from fifth position however a remarkable turn of events saw him take the lead with two laps remaining to grab both his first round and race victory at the same time.
The reigning Australian Formula 4 Series champion drove a mature race and benefited from early leader Zak Bests car failing mid-race while leading to take the round win.
Ojeda won the round by a point over Hamish Ribarits and Broc Feeney in third.
As well as being a breakthrough victory fort the 19-year-old driver it was a maiden victory for long-time Super3 series team Anderson Motorsport as well.
“It was a bit hectic. Starting out of P5 it was always going to be a bit difficult. Its one of those hard tracks to overtake on Ojeda said.
“I had really good pace Michael Anderson and all the boys really tuned it up over the weekend and I was really happy with that. I picked them off one by one. A few Safety Cars added to the controversy as well and then got Hamish on the second last lap and on the final lap it was pretty tight between us.
Ojeda said he was pleased with how quickly he had adapted to the series following a strong junior career in open-wheel racing.
“Ive never really driven a tin-top let alone a Supercar coming from an open wheeler background. Everything was very new to me and I knew there would be a lot of stiff competition.
“To get the win so early in the year is so good – especially after the first two races which had a few errors on my behalf which I was a bit dirty with myself about. So to finally get that first win is really satisfying.
The race had drama throughout and saw an early Safety Car after a turn one crash claimed Josh Fife and Tony Auddino.
Fife had made a fluing start from sixth place and challenged around the outside of turn one spinning his BJR Commodore in front of the pack. While most were able to take evasive action Auddino was unsighted and his Falcon drilled the side of the stranded Holden.
Both drivers were unscathed though definitely out of the race.
Best who had won the first two races on Saturday led the field on the restart but instantly found himself under serious pressure from teammate Nic Carroll who had started alongside him on the front row.
Carroll slipped past on the fourth lap and would lead the field for exactly that lap before Best re-passed his teammate and took Ribarits with him.
The MW Motorsport trio ran line-astern for several laps before Ojeda moved to third on lap seven.
Perhaps the races biggest moment came on the next lap while Best and Ribarits battled for the lead: As Ribarits went down the inside at turn seven Bests car slowed and pulled to the side of the circuit with an undiagnosed failure.
After winning the first two races it cost the Benalla local a chance at a second straight round victory.
The Safety Car was called for a second time though that wasnt the end of the drama: Carroll and McCorkindale coming together on the exit of turn two on lap eleven. McCorkindale was out with damage while Carroll needed to pit for a new tyre before resuming to ultimately finish 14th.
That left Ribarits in the lead though he was rapidly hunted down by Ojeda who grabbed the lead on lap 12 with a bold move at turn eleven.
The New South Wales driver was never headed from there and beat Ribarits to the line by a tiny margin.
Broc Feeney preserved to finish third and secure the final spot on the round podium while Matt McLean finished fourth.
Chris Smerdon was fifth outright and first of the Kumho Cup cars while Emily Duggan finished a superb sixth.
Duggans result was even more impressive given she and her team had to work late into the night to repair damage sustained on Saturday.
Jim Pollicina was seventh while Madeline Stewart was another to record a personal best finish in eighth.
Steven Page and Brad Neill completed the top 10 in the breathless affair.
Smerdon won the Kumho Cup round over Neill and Pollicina.
After two of five rounds Hamish Ribarits now leads the Kumho Super3 series despite not yet having won a round.
He leads the similarly consistent Broc Feeney by just nine points heading to the next round at Queensland Raceway in July.
Round one winner Best retains third place while Ojeda moves to fourth and Carroll to fifth.
Smerdon leads the Kumho Cup over Neill and Pollicina.
The next round of the Kumho Tyre Super 3 series will see the championship return to Queensland Raceway in Ipswich with the Virgin Australia Supercars Championship this July.
CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS:
- Hamish Ribarits 221
- Broc Feeney 212
- Zak Best 198
- Jayden Ojeda 192
- Nic Carroll 133
- Matt McLean 113
- Josh Fife 108
- Chris Smerdon 100
- Matt Powers 92
- Jon McCorkindale 91
RACE 3 RESULTS:
| Pos | Car | Competitor/Team | Driver | Vehicle | Cap | CL | Laps | Race.Time |
| 1 | 11 | Anderson Motorsport | Jayden Ojeda (NSW) | Ford Falcon | 5000 | C | 13 | 21:45.6705 |
| 2 | 5 | MW Motorsport | Hamish Ribarits (VIC) | Ford Falcon | 5000 | C | 13 | 21:45.9822 |
| 3 | 67 | Exit Timeshare Now Racing | Broc Feeney (QLD) | Ford Falcon | 5000 | C | 13 | 21:47.1712 |
| 4 | 12 | Image Racing | Matt McLean (VIC) | Ford Falcon | 5000 | C | 13 | 21:47.7304 |
| 5 | 39 | Vectra Corp | Chris Smerdon (SA) | Ford Falcon | 5000 | K | 13 | 21:55.4456 |
| 6 | 84 | Rsport Race Engineering | Emily Duggan (NSW) | Commodore | 5000 | K | 13 | 21:56.1725 |
| 7 | 888 | Mocomm Motorsp’s Communication | Jim Pollicina (NSW) | Commodore | 5000 | K | 13 | 21:56.5543 |
| 8 | 8 | Brad Jones Racing | Madeline Stewart (NZ) | Commodore | 5000 | C | 13 | 21:57.0733 |
| 9 | 2 | Page Bros Jayco | Steven Page (VIC) | Commodore | 5000 | K | 13 | 22:00.2367 |
| 10 | 9 | Neill Motorsport | Bradley Neill (QLD) | Ford Falcon | 5000 | K | 13 | 22:00.5342 |
| 11 | 35 | Matt Stone Racing | Jason Gomersall (QLD) | Ford Falcon | 5000 | K | 13 | 22:00.7821 |
| 12 | 17 | TFMaintenance | Jason Foley (ACT) | Ford Falcon | 5000 | K | 13 | 22:01.6571 |
| 13 | 23 | HF Racing | Francois Habib (VIC) | Commodore | 5000 | K | 13 | 22:09.3645 |
| 14 | 48 | MW Motorsport | Nic Carroll (VIC) | Ford Falcon | 5000 | C | 12 | 21:49.1983 |
| DNF | 69 | Dial Before You Dig/Mac Motors | Jon McCorkindale (NSW) | Ford Falcon | 5000 | C | 10 | 17:33.1621 |
| DNF | 78 | MW Motorsport | Zak Best (VIC) | Ford Falcon | 5000 | C | 8 | 13:34.8191 |
| DNF | 14 | Brad Jones Racing | Josh Fife (ACT) | Commodore | 5000 | C | ||
| DNF | 4 | Crusher Parts International | Tony Auddino (VIC) | Ford Falcon | 5000 | K |