Anton De Pasquale was practically holding the Peter Brock Trophy with both hands, hammering down the straight with a massive lead, when the ultimate motorsport nightmare struck on the 161st and final lap of the Bathurst 1000.
Despite an earlier 15-second cushion, a catastrophic fuel calculation error by Team 18 forced his engineer onto the radio, desperately imploring him to maximise his fuel saving.
De Pasquale knew they were completely cooked, and as his #18 DEWALT Chevrolet Camaro crested Mountain Straight, the engine gave a final, sickening splutter and died.
In a scene of sheer, unadulterated heartbreak, the field roared past his coasting car, allowing a soaring Brodie Kostecki to snatch a dramatic victory right out of his grasp.
It left the entire mountain in absolute bewilderment, with an emotionless De Pasquale stranded on the track, staring into space after throwing away one of the most dominant wins in Great Race history due to a brutal strategic flop.