Blewett fastest in Toyota Finance 86 Championship practice
Aucklander Ash Blewett continues his dominant form in the fourth round of the 2015-2016 Toyota Finance 86 Championship, fastest in wet and dry at the Teretonga circuit near Invercargill.
Today at Teretonga, Blewett was quickest in the first free practice session with a best of 1:12.524, was third in the second session behind Craig Innes and Callum Quin, then returned to form in the final session of the day with a 1:11.608.
The West City Motorsport team has set out to make the championship its own this year, Blewett winning all three races at the first two rounds and two of three last weekend at Ruapuna, where former single-seater racer Michael Scott became the first to derail Blewett’s run to the title.
With three rounds of six complete, eight out of nine races going in his favour and top times today, Blewett is giving the impression of an unstoppable force in this year’s championship. A veteran single-make racer, he contested the BMW E30 series before stepping up to the Toyota Finance 86 Championship and his 2015-2016 championship form is raising the question: who can halt his headlong rush to the title?
In the masters stakes, the running is being made by John Penny, currently third overall in the championship and equally capable in wet or dry conditions. He set a best of 1:13.578, fourth fastest in session two.
Top rookie Jacob Smith is showing his skills in all conditions, coping with the mixed wet and dry sessions at Teretonga to set his best time of 1:12.369 in the third session.
The race weekend begins in earnest tomorrow morning at 9.35 am with a 20 minute qualifying session. The first 10-lap race is at 1.55 pm. Two further races on Sunday over 10 and 15 laps round out the weekend, with 75 points available for each race win.
