Latest news with #Toyota86
Scoop
10-05-2025
- Automotive
- Scoop
Zeltwanger Clean Sweeps At Hampton Downs
It meant he clean swept the first round of the new winter series with pole position, two race wins and the day's fastest lap. 'It's been a great day, and I'm very pleased to have done so well,' he said on the podium afterwards. 'I enjoyed the race and the car was very good so I have to say thanks to the team for a great job today. We'll move on to the second round and hopefully have the same speed. 'I also want to thank Dion Pitt who offered to help me in this series. He's made a big difference on helping me get up to speed and that's also been a big factor in today.' Starting alongside him on the front row and far more circumspect after his jumped start in the first race, Harry Townshend was an untroubled second off the start and had a lonely race, comfortably faster than Ajay Giddy behind him but with no answer to Zeltwanger's impressive speed at the front. Townshend cruised home in second, which was nonetheless his best ever finish in a Toyota 86 race. Giddy came out on top in a fantastic four way battle for the final spot on the podium which also involved Corban Sprague, Toby Elmiger and young Matt Day in the Dayle ITM car. For much of the ten lap race the four were nose to tail until a late clash saw CareVets Scholarship winner Sprague and Elmiger made contact on the last lap and spin away nine seconds before they got underway again. That meant Giddy came home third and Day an eye-catching fourth. The last lap contact was enough to leave Sprague in fifth and Elmiger seventh behind Noel Simpson, who had a solid drive to the front of another race long battle with Nathan Grammer and Kyan Davie. Conley Webley chased hard at the back of the pack, but took the flag in tenth, less than a second behind Davie. Toyota 86 Trophy Series - Hampton Downs - Race 2 Grid Car # Driver name Trophy / Winter Team 1 22 Lee Zeltwanger Trophy Lee Zeltwanger 2 73 Harry Townshend Winter Mackenzie Motorsport 3 10 Ajay Giddy Winter Mackenzie Motorsport 4 100 Matt Day Trophy Dayle ITM Racing 5 84 Corban Sprague Trophy iMac Engineering 6 88 Noel Simpson Winter Action Motorsport 7 74 Toby Elmiger Trophy Action Motorsport 8 50 Nathan Grammer Trophy Mackenzie Motorsport 9 19 Kyan Davie Trophy Mackenzie Motorsport 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
Scoop
09-05-2025
- Automotive
- Scoop
‘Veteran' Zeltwanger Aiming For Winter Success Aboard Toyota 86
Press Release – Toyota New Zealand With fifteen years of experience in the sport at the age of just 23, Massey racer Lee Zeltwanger has plenty of experience to take into a winter campaign in the Toyota 86 Trophy Series. An all-round sports fanatic who also plays seven-a-side and eleven-a-side soccer, Lee is a graduate in sports exercise, nutrition and management and likes working on the cars he races as well as driving them. He's had plenty of success in those 15 years on the motorsport scene too, as he explained. 'I have been in motorsport for 15 years, and started when I was seven years old in karts. In 2018 I moved away from karts and into car racing starting in the BMW Race Driver Series in the E30 class. 'I enjoyed racing in that for three years and then moved into the BMW E46 class for another three seasons. Some highlights were definitely winning the North Island Championship in 2014 in the Junior restricted class and winning the Kapellen Trophy in Rotax mini in Switzerland in 2012. I won City of Sails, was second at the CIK trophy of NZ, was Auckland club champion and won races in both the BMW E30 and E46 classes. 'Now, though, I have my eyes set on the Toyota 86 Trophy Series.' All-rounder Zeltwanger will run his own Toyota 86 in the four round series, which begins this weekend at Hampton Downs and he is determined to do well against high quality opposition. 'My objective is of course to try win the series but also be consistent and finish every race to maximise points,' he added. 'Another objective is winning the scholarship that is available to the winner to do a season in the new Toyota 86 cars in the Bridgestone GR86 Championship. That would be amazing.' Lee will contest the series, which also races at Manfeild and at Taupo International Motorsport Park twice, with the help of Timberworld East Tamaki, Euro West Limited, Solimara NZ Ltd, SKUNKWORKS and the Automoves Racing Team. 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
Scoop
09-05-2025
- Automotive
- Scoop
‘Veteran' Zeltwanger Aiming For Winter Success Aboard Toyota 86
With fifteen years of experience in the sport at the age of just 23, Massey racer Lee Zeltwanger has plenty of experience to take into a winter campaign in the Toyota 86 Trophy Series. An all-round sports fanatic who also plays seven-a-side and eleven-a-side soccer, Lee is a graduate in sports exercise, nutrition and management and likes working on the cars he races as well as driving them. He's had plenty of success in those 15 years on the motorsport scene too, as he explained. 'I have been in motorsport for 15 years, and started when I was seven years old in karts. In 2018 I moved away from karts and into car racing starting in the BMW Race Driver Series in the E30 class. 'I enjoyed racing in that for three years and then moved into the BMW E46 class for another three seasons. Some highlights were definitely winning the North Island Championship in 2014 in the Junior restricted class and winning the Kapellen Trophy in Rotax mini in Switzerland in 2012. I won City of Sails, was second at the CIK trophy of NZ, was Auckland club champion and won races in both the BMW E30 and E46 classes. 'Now, though, I have my eyes set on the Toyota 86 Trophy Series.' All-rounder Zeltwanger will run his own Toyota 86 in the four round series, which begins this weekend at Hampton Downs and he is determined to do well against high quality opposition. 'My objective is of course to try win the series but also be consistent and finish every race to maximise points,' he added. 'Another objective is winning the scholarship that is available to the winner to do a season in the new Toyota 86 cars in the Bridgestone GR86 Championship. That would be amazing.' Lee will contest the series, which also races at Manfeild and at Taupo International Motorsport Park twice, with the help of Timberworld East Tamaki, Euro West Limited, Solimara NZ Ltd, SKUNKWORKS and the Automoves Racing Team. 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
Scoop
07-05-2025
- Automotive
- Scoop
Webley Takes Next Step In Racing Career With Toyota 86 Trophy Run
At just 15 years old, Conley – a Year 11 student at Waimea College in Richmond – has already amassed a wide range of racing experience. He started racing at just eight years old on the dirt in quarter midgets. Having gained a top three national nomination he moved into Youth Ministocks at 12 and currently holds both the NZ and South Island '1' nominations. At 11 he started karting and recently took a top ten placing at the National Schools event. His first experience of circuit racing came two years later at 13 in the South Island 2K Cup and the Mag & Turbo Series. Now, the competitive arena of Toyota 86 racing is his next big stepping stone. 'The Toyota 86 Trophy Series looks like it is going to be competitive and a respected development series in New Zealand,' he said. 'It's the perfect step up to hone my skills in a challenging car, gain crucial seat time, and learn from some of the best in the country. It's also a great platform for exposure and development heading into endurance racing later in the year.' Conley will join experienced team Action Motorsport for the four round series, which gets underway at Hampton Downs this weekend. Even though he won't step into the car until Friday practice, he's excited about the challenge that lies ahead, adding: 'I haven't driven the TR86 yet my first time will be this Friday but I'm really looking forward to getting behind the wheel and seeing how I adapt to it. 'I've been watching as much onboard footage as possible to learn the tracks and cars behaviour. I've also spent time on the simulator and going over data to prepare mentally and technically for the step up. 'I'm looking forward to Hampton Downs particularly. Being from the South Island, I haven't had much track time up north, but I've done a few laps at Hampton Downs and really enjoyed the technical features of the circuit. I'm also looking forward to learning more tracks as the season progresses too.' Conley will tackle the Manfeild and Taupo race tracks as well as this weekend's opener at Hampton Downs in a campaign supported by Tyre World Richmond, Express Lube WOF and Tyres, Waimea Vehicle Testing Station, MTF Finance Richmond and MEC NZ. 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
Scoop
01-05-2025
- Automotive
- Scoop
Simpson Back For Toyota 86 Trophy Series
Fifty four year old Simpson competed in the Toyota 86 Championship in 2023, which Noel describes as a 'trial by fire'. The season was represented by strong starts and good levels of race craft, but by his own admission Noel never really adapted to the car to get the race pace needed to be at the front. Before that Noel was a regular competitor in the Porsche series between 2021 and 2022 and won the Boxster trophy in both years and the Porsche Cup in the final year. 'The Toyota championship in 2023 was a real eye opener for me,' he said on confirmation of his entry into the four round winter series which begins next month. 'There was lots of talent and fierce competition and a lot to learn as a result of that, but I enjoy the Toyota 86 and am looking forward to getting out there again in the Trophy Series. 'It's a car you have to be very precise with and consistent with especially given how close all of the fields are. And that is the challenge, as there is always something to learn.' Having taken time out to support his children in international alpine skiing with eight back-to-back winters away travelling around the globe to support them in competition, Noel is looking forward to being able to focus on his racing over the next few months. 'I've been revisiting a lot of the data from 2023 and have run a few test days so hopefully I'm going to be able to hit the ground running and be competitive from the word go.' Simpson will be backed by Lexel Systems when the series gets underway at Hampton Downs on May 9th. 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
