After a promising start to his 2025 Dunlop Super2 Series campaign, Ayrton Hodson faced a challenging second round at Symmons Plains Raceway in Tasmania, walking away with a 16th-place finish in Race 1 and a DNF in Race 2.
The Anderson Motorsport rookie had impressed on debut at Sydney Motorsport Park, qualifying on the front row and securing a fifth-place result in Race 1. However, Tasmania brought an entirely different set of challenges.
Mixed Results in Practice
Hodson began the weekend cautiously. He ended Practice 1 in 13th before slipping to 22nd in Practice 2, where just eight-tenths of a second covered the entire 23-car field.
The field continued to adjust to the Dunlop green tyre, contributing to tight margins and mixed results for drivers, including Hodson.
Qualifying Setbacks
In Qualifying for Race 1, Hodson showed early promise, initially going 10th fastest on his first flying lap.
But as the times tumbled—led by Rylan Gray’s 52.217s lap for pole—Hodson was pushed down the order.
Despite briefly improving to 15th, a flurry of late laps from rivals left him starting P19 for Saturday’s race. His Anderson Motorsport teammate, Ryan Tomsett, would start just behind in P21.
Race 1: Recovery Drive Amid the Chaos
The opening lap of Race 1 was action-packed. A Turn 4 chain-reaction incident involving championship contender Zach Bates and Jarrod Hughes caused chaos. Hodson capitalised, gaining two spots immediately.
However, momentum was halted on Lap 3 when a wide moment at Turn 6 saw Hodson drop to 22nd, after sliding off track along with Bailey Sweeney.
As the race progressed and attrition took its toll, including a safety car intervention for multiple incidents at Turn 4, Hodson clawed his way back into contention.
A strong restart and consistent pace saw Hodson work back up to 16th, engaging in late-race battles with Bates, Cleary, Geoghegan, and teammate Tomsett. He ultimately held position through to the flag, securing valuable points in a chaotic affair.
Teammate Tomsett finished 19th, while Rylan Gray delivered a dominant lights-to-flag victory, with Reuben Goodall and Mason Kelly completing the podium.
Race 2: Early Exit Ends the Weekend
Sunday’s Qualifying session mirrored Saturday’s, with Hodson again lining up 19th, one spot ahead of Tomsett. This time, Pole went to Zach Bates, edging out Gray for the top spot.
But Hodson’s hopes of a stronger second race were dashed early. On Lap 2, as the field braked for Turn 4, Max Geoghegan made contact with the rear of Hodson’s car, damaging the gearbox.
The incident left a visible oil trail and forced Hodson to retire on the exit of Turn 5, triggering a safety car and ending his weekend prematurely.
Speaking to Velocity News, Hodson admitted it was a frustrating outcome:
“I thought we had decent race pace, but I just couldn’t get the green tyre to work for me this weekend. Disappointing to end it in the garage, but we’ll regroup and come back stronger.”
Looking Ahead
After two rounds, Hodson sits 16th in the championship standings with 225 points. While Rylan Gray leads the way on 492 points, ahead of Nash Morris (444) and Reuben Goodall (420), Hodson will be eager to bounce back when the series resumes.
There’s no doubt that the pace, talent, and potential are there for Hodson—the challenge now is to convert that into results as the season continues.
The Super2 Series returns for Round 3 of the 2025 Championship in Townsville, held from July 11 to 13. It will once again support the 2025 Repco Supercars Championship.
Header Image: Speedshots Photography
