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Toyota 86 Series scores a century

Toyota 86 series at the bend

By Thomas Miles

Date posted: August 17, 2023

It is a weekend of milestones at The Bend this weekend with the Toyota Gazoo Racing Australia 86 Series hitting race #100.

In addition to Supercars, which celebrates its 600th championship round, the Toyota 86 Series will also recognisable a century of races.

Since rolling into action at Winton in 2016, the Toyota 86 Series has become one of the most notable grassroots circuit racing series as a regular on the Supercars support card.

This weekend a total of 32 cars will line up on the grid for the special race with Ryan Casha leading the championship charge.

It will also be a step into the relative unknown with the Bend having not hosted the one make series since 2018.

Will Brown 2016 toyota 86

Will Brown scored the maiden Toyota 86 Series title in 2016 pictured here at the Sydney finale.

The first ever to be crowned Toyota 86 Series champion was Will Brown, who is now one of the biggest stars in Supercars.

The driver who finished third in that season was Cameron Hill, who is also racing at the top level for Matt Stone Racing.

Another to make the step up this year is Tickford’s Declan Fraser, while current Triple Eight race winner Broc Feeney is another Toyota alumni.

Toyota Australia Chief Marketing Officer Vin Naidoo said the special 100-race milestone isa sign of the continual growth of the category as a new race car awaits next year.

“When we started the TGRA 86 Series back in 2016, our idea was simply to provide an affordable grassroots racing category for passionate enthusiasts and give them an opportunity to compete and learn in a safe well-run series,” Mr Naidoo said.

“Since then it has gone from strength to strength and is now highly regarded among Australia’s motorsport fraternity as an outstanding development series for aspiring professionals as well as those who just love racing for the fun of it.

Lachlan Gibbons and Zach Bates

The 2022 finale saw an epic battle at Bathurst between eventual winner Lachlan Gibbons and Zach Bates.

“Its success can be seen in the number of young drivers that have gone onto other racing categories, including the premier Supercars Championship, and last year we committed to supporting it until at least the end of 2026.

“Such was the demand that this year we added a second tier Scholarship Series and unveiled the new GR86 racecar that will debut in the 2024 season and are looking forward to many more years of exciting wheel-to-wheel action on some of Australia’s most iconic circuits for years to come.”

This weekend is the third round of the 2023 season and Casha enters with a 18-point lead over Campbell Logan.

Rylan Gray Toyota 86 sydney

Rylan Gray leads the Toyotas through turn two at Sydney Motorsport Park.

But it is Cody Burcher who is in form having won a competitive round at Sydney with two wins, while Rylan Gray also enjoyed success in the closest ever finish in series history.

After a two-lap showdown Gray led home Casha by just 0.08s.

It sets the scene for another competitive round at the Bend this weekend where three races are on the schedule.

Image by Toyota

Turn up the volume and enjoy the Auto Action Rev Limiter podcast

This week Nascar was the focus with SVG and Brodie Kostecki making their way to the Indy road course, while Rodney Jane let some loose on the Thunderdome at Calder, while we also preview The Bend as the Supercars silly season hots up.

    

Listen to our latest podcast episode on your podcast app of choice or here on Apple Podcasts.

For more of the latest motorsport news, pick up the latest issue of AUTO ACTION.

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