AUSSIE WINS ACROSS THE DITCH
An Australian knocked off the locals by being victorious in round 2 of the Bridgestone GR86 Championship at Hampton Downs.
Whilst the Formula Regional action took centre stage, there were a number of other categories that went racing at Hampton Downs last weekend.
In the second race of the weekend Australian Lachlan Evennett stole the show by taking a hard-fought victory.
Due to the reverse top 10 in Race 2, Evennett started on pole, but held on as the race came down to the final lap.
The Action Motorsport driver got away well and belt a solid lead away from the pack led by 16-year-old Cameron Hill and Emerson Vincent.
Hill started to put on the pressure on Lap 2, only for Vincent to snare second.
Evennett built a lead of a few tenths and looked home and dry until the final couple of laps when the gap closed right up and it became a five car battle for glory with Josh Bethune and Hugo Allan joining the fray.
The Toyotas racing hard at Hampton Downs Photo by Bruce Jenkins / Toyota Gazoo Racing NZ
With two laps to go Hill was the man on the move and passed Vincent before quickly reeling in Evennett.
It all went down to the final lap where Evennett was under the most significant pressure.
But he held on by just seven hundredths of a second from Hill.
The Aussie was thrilled to take his first Toyota win across the ditch in his first weekend at both Hampton Downs and in the the NZ specification GR86.
“It’s a great way to start the year coming down here but I have to thank the guys at Action Motorsport, they have welcomed me into the team and given me an awesome race car,” he said.
“I didn’t come here expecting to do this well so it’s pretty incredible and surreal.
“I felt comfortable in the middle but I had a lot of pressure on me at the end but I got it done.”
Justin Allen and Hill also took wins to ensure there have been six wins in as many races to start the season.
Aussies Jett Murray, Alice Buckley and Cooper Barnes were also in action.
In race 1 Evennett rounded out the top 10 with Murray was next best being 19th as Buckley and Barnes battled outside the top 20.
Cooper Barnes on his way to a podium. Image: Bruce Jenkins / Toyota Gazoo Racing NZ
In Evennett’s victory Buckley also impressed rising to 16th as Murray again finished 19th, while Barnes was last.
But Barnes was brilliant in the finale, almost scoring a second Aussie success of the weekend.
An early crash saw the red flag being waved early on with the grid set on fastest laps from the first two races, Barnes started on the second row.
He settled straight into second as a few hundred metres down the road, however, Ajay Giddy, Buckley and Thomas Mallard made contact which left Thomas with damage and Ajay out.
Alice Buckley at Hampton Downs. Photo by Bruce Jenkins / Toyota Gazoo Racing NZ
Hill ended up cruising to victory as Barnes was safe in second and scored an impressive podium.
Evennett ended up 10th wth Murray and Buckley 17th and 18th.
The Bridgestone GR86 Championship heads to the FIA’s most southern track in the world, Teretonga Park, Invercargill.
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