Scott McLaughin has the chance to equal Supercars legend Craig Lowndes' single-season victory record after winning race one at The Bend SuperSprint.
McLaughlin was denied his 14th pole position of the season but delivered on Saturday when it mattered to win at Tailem Bend from second on the grid.
Tickford Racing's Chaz Mostert pinched pole but was trailing McLaughlin by the first corner, as the DJR Team Penske star powered to his 15th win this season from 21 races.
McLaughlin, 26, has Lowndes record of 16 in his sights and can break it next month at his home race in New Zealand.
Mostert ensured it was a Ford Mustang one-two finish, while Penrite Racing youngster Anton De Pasquale clinched the second podium of his career.
McLaughlin and Mostert struggled alongside all Ford drivers at Tailem Bend's inaugural race last year but they turned things around dramatically in 2019.
"In qualifying, I was a little annoyed but Chaz did a fantastic lap. We knew the start was going to be key and that was probably my best start of the year," McLaughlin said.
"In this day and age in Supercars, you can have a crack from anywhere, especially in that top five.
"I knew Chaz was going to push me the whole way so it was crucial to get that start and, after that, I was trying to build a gap but Chaz was right there the whole time."
McLaughlin extends his lead at the top of the drivers' standings to 514 points from teammate Fabian Coulthard, while Mostert moves into third and 552 points off the pace.
"He bloody out-grunted me (on the first lap). I thought the launch out was okay but I just couldn't go in a straight line with that thing," Mostert said.
"When you start on pole, you never want to go a position back but we still had good car speed. It was just a good race in general to be able to stick with him.
"This year is the best he's ever driven so he's full of confidence and winning a lot which builds more confidence and that's the hardest thing in beating Scotty at the moment.
"For us, if we miss the set-up a little bit here or there and we don't quite qualify in those front two rows, the confidence takes a hit.
"The last three or four rounds has been quite good for us but it's hard to get that win off him at the moment - he's in a league of his own."
Holden veteran Mark Winterbottom missed his first podium of the season after starting third and dropping to fourth.
The race ended on the opening lap for Will Davison, Simona de Silvestro and Todd Hazelwood after the former spun out of control.