Latest news with #Toyota86Championship
Scoop
10-05-2025
- Automotive
- Scoop
Zeltwanger Races To First Toyota 86 Trophy Series Pole
For all of the drivers competing, it was the first dry time on track in the TR86 at the race meeting after most of Friday was rained off and it was Zeltwanger in his self-run TR86 – overseen by experienced Toyota racer Dion Pitt - who was quickest into the groove. His first flying lap was in the 1 minute 16 second bracket before he unleashed his best on his second flying lap – an impressive 1 minute 16.150 second effort. He was delighted to have found pole winning speed so quickly, commenting: 'I set a decent lap time on my first flying lap but when the tyres were up to temperature I was able to go a bit faster and I am very happy with my speed. It's a great car to drive, with much less roll than I am used to. 'I'm one hundred percent looking forward to the races a little later.' Alongside Lee on the front row for the first race of the new series will be old hand Harry Townshend. Back in the car he raced in the Toyota 86 Championship, but ineligible for Trophy Series points having run in the Bridgestone GR86 Championship last season, he nevertheless showed his intent to bag a few race wins and podiums with a fine lap of 1 minute 16.419 on his second flying lap. That was good for the fastest time in the Winter Series class, edging out rival Ajay Giddy by three tenths of a second. CareVets Scholarship winner Corbyn Sprague saved his best effort until later in the session to claim the outside starting position on the second row with fourth fastest time. Matt Day was at the sharp end from the first flying lap and had a solid session aboard the Dayle ITM Racing TR86, also clocking a time under the 1 minute 17 second TR86 benchmark to take the fifth fastest time. Sixteen year old Taupo student Toby Elmiger will be alongside Day on the third row of the grid. Former TR86 championship series Master class racer Noel Simpson qualified a solid seventh in the Lexel TR86, edging Nathan Grammer. Ninth and tenth will be Kyan Davie and Conley Webley. Toyota 86 Trophy Series – Round 1 Hampton Downs Qualifying 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 84 Corban Sprague Trophy iMac Engineering 5 100 Matt Day Trophy Dayle ITM Racing 6 74 Toby Elmiger Trophy Action Motorsport 7 88 Noel Simpson 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
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
