Latest news with #CareVetsTR86
Otago Daily Times
22-05-2025
- Automotive
- Otago Daily Times
4th Generation driver displays skill up north
A fourth-generation Timaru racing driver is continuing to add to his family's motorsport legacy. At 18 years old, Corban Sprague is following in the wheel tracks of his great-grandfather Ernie, grandfather Wayne and dad Peter after completing his first race of the Toyota TR86 Trophy Series. To compete in the series Sprague outperformed 40 applicants and won a hotly-contested eight-man shootout last month to secure himself a scholarship and a seat in the CareVets TR86 car. The series opener took place on May 9-10 at Hampton Downs and Sprague quickly demonstrated his ability. He finished fourth in qualifying, followed by a third place finish in race one which was then promoted to a second due to a jump start up front and an unfortunate fifth place in the final race after his car was used as a "brake marker" by a fellow driver leading to him spinning out. Sprague said that racing was just in his blood. "I've grown up around it since I was a toddler, so it was always going to be a matter of when I start, not if. "It's pretty special to carry the family name in motorsport and there's not many people that can say they are a fourth-generation racer in New Zealand. It's pretty cool." He said there was a bit of pressure from his family name but it did not really bother him. "I'm a pretty relaxed person to be fair and I just get on with the job that's at hand." Before receiving the scholarship for the Toyota series, Sprague had made a name for himself racing in the Mazda Pro 8 New Zealand series. He said heading into the first round of the Toyota series, it was the least prepared he had been for a race meeting. "The scholarship was really late in the piece, which didn't leave us any time to get up there and do some testing in the car. "My first proper go in the car was the Friday of the meeting and it was raining." He said his first dry run in the car was Saturday's qualifier. "I did all my preparation outside the car with the fitness side but on the driving side I was a little less prepared than I would have liked but it is what it is. "I just kept chipping along and got on with it." It was a positive start to the series, he said. "I think going forward I learned a lot over the weekend. "I've got a great crew coaching and mentoring me through it and I'm happy with how I went. "I enjoyed it, I'll just keep working behind the scenes and we'll do the best we can going into Taupo in five weeks." He said he did go into it with high expectations, but he felt getting a podium in his first race was pretty good. "I just thought if I could be in the top three, top five I'd be happy and we did that. "It's all time and mileage, I think we're looking pretty good." The goal was to win the series, he said. "There's quite a big prize up for grabs, which is a potential opportunity to jump up to the inaugural GR86 championship next season. "Whoever wins the series will have the same scholarship deal that I've got for this series getting into the GR86. "You can't win it in the first round, so I've just got to keep chipping away and putting my best foot forward and hopefully we'll come out with a good result." He said his ultimate goal was to get over to Australia and make it into the V8 Supercars competition. "But at present time I'm just going to keep doing th best I can in the series and car that I'm racing and see where I end up." Sprague said he was very appreciative of everyone who had helped him get to this point. "I'm just very grateful for this opportunity and I can't, can't thank everyone enough that's helped me get to this point. "It doesn't happen without the help of those people." The four round series continues with round two at Taupo International Motorsport Park on June 21-22, followed by a trip to Manfeild on July 5-6 and a return to Taupo for the final round on July 26-27.
Scoop
10-05-2025
- Automotive
- Scoop
Zeltwanger Takes Debut Win
Saturday, 10 May 2025, 2:58 pm Press Release: TOYOTA GAZOO Racing New Zealand Harry Townshend leads the field but Lee Zeltwanger took the spoils. Photo: Bruce Jenkins. Winter series class racer Townshend was simply too eager to get away from the lights quickly and picked up a five second penalty. Lee tucked in behind and for two laps the two enjoyed an entertaining battle for the lead but the damage to Townshend's race was done. Harry simply didn't have the speed to build a five second margin on Zeltwanger and after a couple of attempts to pass the Bridgestone GR86 Championship racer, Lee contented himself sitting in close proximity to the leader and counted down the eight laps to the flag. After taking pole position in the morning, he was delighted to secure an impressive first win. 'I knew early on that Harry had picked up a penalty,' he said afterwards. 'But I like to try and win on the road so I had a couple of goes at passing him, but the win was more important in the end so I was happy to tuck in behind and stay nice and close.' Behind the two leaders, Corbyn Sprague improved further on his qualifying performance and went one better to beat Ajay Giddy to the flag. That third became second in the final results with Townshend's penalty and that five seconds was also enough to promote Giddy to the final place on the podium and the Winter Series class win. Sprague was satisfied with the result after having only limited running in the CareVets TR86. 'I genuinely haven't had a lot of time in the car and I am still very much learning it and building a relationship with the team, we are getting faster every time we go out on the track so I am pretty happy with second and we know there is much more to come.' Townshend's penalty dropped him to an eventual fourth. Fifth should have been Matt Day in the Dayle ITM TR86 but he was another to jump the gun at the start and also copped a five second penalty. That put Noel Simpson fifth overall ahead of Toby Elmiger after a fine battle midfield, with Nathan Grammer seventh, Kyan Davie eighth, Day ninth and Conley Webley rounding out the top ten. Toyota 86 Trophy Series – Round 1 Hampton Downs Qualifying Grid Car # Driver name Trophy / Winter Team 1 22 Lee Zeltwanger Trophy Lee Zeltwanger 2 84 Corban Sprague Trophy iMac Engineering 3 10 Ajay Giddy Winter Mackenzie Motorsport 4 73 Harry Townshend Winter Mackenzie Motorsport 5 88 Noel Simpson Trophy Action Motorsport 6 74 Toby Elmiger Trophy Action Motorsport 7 50 Nathan Grammer Trophy Mackenzie Motorsport 8 19 Kyan Davie Trophy Mackenzie Motorsport 9 100 Matt Day Trophy Dayle ITM Racing 10 18 Conley Webley Trophy Action Motorsport 2025 Toyota 86 Trophy Series Rd1 9-10 May 2025 Hampton Downs - NZIGP Finale Rd2 21-22 June 2025 Taupo Int. Motorsport Park - Taupo Winter Series Rd3 5-6 July 2025 Manfeild – Circuit Chris Amon - Manfeild Winter Series Rd4 26-27 July 2025 Taupo Int. Motorsport Park - Taupo Winter Series Visit us: © Scoop Media
