Garry Jacobson has broken through for his maiden Australian Formula Ford Championship victory today at Symmons Plains Raceway in Tasmania, emerging from a spirited battle with maximum points.


Lining up alongside Shae Davies on the front row of the grid, Jacobson was able to forge ahead in the lead on lap 10 of 15, when Davies went wide at the end of the back straight.


Matthew Hart kept a watching brief over the leading duo in the opening laps, eventually splitting the pair on the race podium.
"It''s a pretty good feeling, it''s great to be able to give the team that result," Jacobson said.


"It was a pretty hard race with Shae, but I''m sure we''ll figure it all out for the next race.


"For my sponsors, my family and the team, it''s been a hard road to get here, and I couldn''t be any more relieved."


Jack Le Brocq came out on top in the battle for fourth, just holding off the advances of Tom Goess, who harassed the championship leader throughout the heat.


"It was a pretty good race with Jack, especially after having a sticking throttle through qualifying," Goess said.


"I knew we had a fast car, but sitting in behind him in the draft the engine started to overheat.


"That cost us some power, but considering, I''m happy with the result."


Liam Sager had perhaps the loneliest race in the field with his sixth place finish, ahead of Sam Power, who managed to clear away from a battle with eventual eighth place finisher Rhett Noonan.


Simon Hodge managed to get the better of Macauley Jones to finish in ninth, with the two Symmons Plains first time starters still coming to terms with the dominant slip streaming strategies.


Racing continues tomorrow with two further 15 laps heats.


FORMULA FORD RACE 1 RESULTS

1. Garry Jacobson (VIC) 14:19.1053

2. Matthew Hart (ACT) 14:20.0706

3. Shae Davies (QLD) 14:20.6047

4. Jack Le Brocq (VIC) 14:27.3542

5. Tom Goess (SA) 14:27.6893

6. Liam Sager (QLD) 14:31.7167

7. Sam Power (SA) 14:34.2651

8. Rhett Noonan (WA) 14:36.6966

9. Simon Hodge (SA) 14:43.0343

10. Macauley Jones (NSW) 14:43.1862


PROGRESSIV POINTSCORE

1. Jack Le Brocq- 68 pts

2. Garry Jacobson- 65

3. Matthew Hart- 63

4. Jonathon Venter- 38

5. Sam Power- 28

6. Simon Hodge- 20

7. Liam Sager- 15

=8. Tom Goess- 14

=8. Shae Davies- 14

10. Jake Fouracre- 12


WEEKEND INFORMATION

Round 2 of 8,Australian Formula Ford Championship

Symmons Plains Raceway, March 30- April 1


TRACK GUIDE: SYMMONS PLAINS RACEWAY

Track Length: 2.41km

Track Direction: Anti-Clockwise

Top Speed: 220km/h


WEEKEND SCHEDULE (All times in AEDT)


Sunday April 1

Race 2- 11:35am 11:55am

Race 3- 2:40pm 3:00pm


Formula Ford is the world''s premier junior development motorsport category and has been a prominent fixture within Australia since 1969. Ford has been a proud partner of Formula Ford in Australia since the beginning and will support the category again in 2012 as it continues to grow. The relative parity between local and international makes produces some of the closest and most exciting racing seen on any circuit around Australia.


Formula Ford is the world''s premier junior development motorsport category and has been a prominent fixture within Australia since 1969. Ford has been a proud partner of Formula Ford in Australia since the beginning and will support the category again in 2012 as it continues to grow. The relative parity between local and international makes produces some of the closest and most exciting racing seen on any circuit around Australia.