Motor Sport – Toyota 86 racers back in action with major Hampton Downs test

Source: Toyota

Some of the country’s top young drivers finally dusted off the Covid cobwebs at Hampton Downs over the weekend when the Toyota 86 Championship got into gear for 2022 with its official annual test for all competitors.

A total of 22 cars will take the start at the first round of the season when the championship gets underway at Highlands Motorsport Park next month. The vast majority took the opportunity to sign up for the test.
 
It’s the biggest field in the history of the championship and is also the highest quality. Reigning champion Rowan Shepherd is back for a title defence as is runner up from last season Simon Evans.
 
The best of last season’s young guns – Ronan Murphy, Brock Gilchrist, Todd Foster and Marco Giltrap – are back for more and they are joined by a long list of additional up and coming talent.
 
Hugo Allan, Matthew McCutcheon, Rianna O’Meara-Hunt, Chelsea Herbert, Zac Stichbury, Clay and brother Fynn Osbourne all join the series full time with impressive racing CVs. John Penny, Mark Mallard and Christina Orr-West fly the flag for the more mature racers, while Todd Prujean, William Morton, Dion Pitt, and Sam Cotterill will all be eyeing up rookie honours.
 
Changeable weather conditions greeted all of the racers on the first day of testing since Auckland travel restrictions were lifted but despite that all drivers were able to clock up significant testing mileage.
 
“It’s just great to be back in the groove and back in the race car again and I think we all feel as excited as each other about that,” said Dayle ITM Racing’s Ronan Murphy, who ended the test second quickest behind Hugo Allan.
 
“There was always anticipation about this championship having so many good drivers in it and an awesome prize pool but I think actually being here and getting started again after the problems of the lockdowns is appreciated by everyone even more. There’s a real buzz in the air.”
 
The drivers also had the opportunity to do simulated qualifying and race runs and practice starts over the weekend as they prepared for the first round in Cromwell on January 14-16. After Highlands the championship moves to Christchurch for the Ruapuna weekend, January 21-23.
 
Three weekends later it’s back to Hampton Downs on February 11-13 for the New Zealand Grand Prix meeting. Pukekohe now shifts from its early December date to March 4-6 to become Round 4 before the category heads to the Bruce McLaren Motorsport Park, Taupo on March 25-27. The season concludes at Hampton Downs Motorsport Park over the weekend of April 22-24.
 
 
 

Testing times   Pos  No Driver Best Test Difference 1 23 Hugo Allan  1m16.351 Test 1 0 2 91 Ronan Murphy 1m16.652 Test 1 0.301 3 10 Brock Gilchrist 1m16.895 Test 1 0.544 4 5 Dion Pitt 1m16.939 Test 5 0.588 5 96 Matthew McCutcheon 1m17.137 Test 5 0.786 6 15 Clay Osborne 1m17.143 Test 2 0.792 7 8 Mark Mallard 1m17.178 Test 5 0.827 8 72 Zac Stichbury 1m17.194 Test 5 0.843 9 222 Todd Foster 1m17.265 Test 5 0.914 10 1 Rowan Shepherd 1m17.366 Test 2 1.015 11 55 Christina Orr-West 1m17.401 Test 2 1.051 12 52 Rianna O’Meara-Hunt 1m17.420 Test 5 1.069 13 14 Fynn Osborne 1m17.534 Test 6 1.183 14 25 Chelsea Herbert 1m17583 Test 5 1.232 15 74 Todd Prujean 1m17.623 Test 1 1.272 16 22 John Penny 1m17.665 Test 1 1.314 17 11 William Morton 1m18.418 Test 5 2.067 Toyota 86 Championship 2021 – 2022   Round 1 – Highlands Motorsport Park – January 14-16 Round 2 – Mike Pero Motorsport Park, Ruapuna – January 21- 23 Round 3 – Hampton Downs Motorsport Park – February 11-13 Round 4 – Pukekohe Park Raceway – March 4-6 Round 5 – Bruce McLaren Motorsport Park, Taupo – March 25-27 Round 6 – Hampton Downs Motorsport Park – April 22-24