Cassidy wins on debut in Toyota Finance 86 drive

Multiple Toyota Racing Series champion Nick Cassidy came to the Toyota Finance 86 Championship with one aim: to win races.

At the fourth round of the championship, on a track the TR86 cars have not raced before, he led an Auckland City Toyota team 1-2 finish, team-mate Tom Alexander just .125 of a second behind and vowing to score a win before the weekend is out.

Cassidy won from pole, with Alexander setting the fastest lap of the race and thus establishing a new race lap record for the category with a 1:07.452. Alexander’s second placing brings him to within 11 points of defending champion and current championship leader Jamie McNee, who has struggled for race-winning speed in these southern rounds.

Third home was Matt Gibson, whose team says he is revelling in the fast and flowing layout of Teretonga.

Jamie McNee retains a narrow 11 point lead to Tom Alexander, 611-600. Third is Ash Blewett on 575, while Matt Gibson’s third placing in this race brings him to within two points of fourth-placed Marcus Armstrong who is fourth on 482 points but is not contesting this round.

The cars of the Toyota Finance 86 Championship return to the track on Sunday for two further races: a ten lap race at 10:24 and then a 15-lap race at 2:09 pm.