\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
![\"Ryan](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Picture_3_A_famous_trophy_for_a_famous_win.jpg\")
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tRyan Wood and his winning haul from Taupo. Image: Joel Hanks <\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tRyan Wood and his winning haul from Taupo. Image: Joel Hanks
<\/p>\n
It was effectively a lights-to-flag win for the Supercars star who bolted into the lead from the outside of the front row, at the expense of surprise pole winner Jack Taylor.<\/p>\n
Once in front there was no looking back for Wood who comfortably led all 23 laps.<\/p>\n
The only risk to his lead was a mid-race safety car, called after Ernesto Rivero and Zack Scoular clashed at the hairpin.<\/p>\n
But a well-judged restart meant Wood retained the lead, ultimately coming home ##s ahead of Kanato Le and Louis Sharp.<\/p>\n
\u201cHonestly it means the world,\u201d said Wood. \u201cWhen I was little I won the Denny Hulme certificate, I still have it, we were looking at it the other day. So to win that today is really special.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m really humbled to be in this position and I can\u2019t thank the guys and girls at MTEC enough.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s really cool to share [the podium] with Louis, he\u2019s driving his butt off. It\u2019a really cool to see him up there today as well.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re going to enjoy this one but full focus is on Teretonga and Highlands. I feel like we\u2019re building.\u201d<\/p>\n
The key to Sharp\u2019s podium was a forceful first-lap move on Taylor, who proved tricky to pass later in the race.<\/p>\n
The young Aussie, who stunned the field to grab pole in the wet morning conditions, held onto to fourth for much of the race before coming under fire from series leader Ugo Ugochukwu.<\/p>\n
The American was on an impressive recovery drive from 11th on the grid, but found stiff competition in Taylor as he tried to get through.<\/p>\n
He was momentarily shuffled back to sixth after going wheel-to-wheel with Taylor, before working his way back to Taylor and finally getting through on the penultimate lap.<\/p>\n
Jin Nakamura also managed to get past Taylor for fifth place.<\/p>\n
Yevan David came home seventh ahead of Yuanpu Cui, Rivera, and Nolan Allaer.<\/p>\n
Scoular was a DNF, marking a disappointing end to a day that started with a dominant victory in Race 3.<\/p>\n
In that race the Kiwi came home more than eight seconds ahead of Freddie Slater and Wood.<\/p>\n
Ugochukwu suffered his worst result of the series so far with 13th in that race, making his recovery in the feature all the more important.<\/p>\n
He still holds a handy series lead on 192 points ahead of Sharp and Le (both 159 points), Nakamura (151 points) and Wood (150 points).<\/p>\n
The penultimate round of CTFROT takes place at Teretonga Raceway next weekend.<\/p>\n
2026 Castrol Toyota Formula Regional Oceania Trophy \u2013 R2 Taupo Denny Hulme Memorial Trophy<\/p>\n
1
\n40
\nRyan WOOD
\nNZL
\nMTEC Motorsport<\/p>\n
2
\n19
\nKanato LE
\nJPN
\nHitech<\/p>\n
3
\n11
\nLouis SHARP
\nNZL
\nMTEC Motorsport<\/p>\n
4
\n4
\nUgo UGOCHUKWU
\nUSA
\nM2 Competition<\/p>\n
5
\n12
\nJin NAKAMURA
\nJPN
\nHitech<\/p>\n
6
\n5
\nYuanpu CUI
\nCHN
\nMTEC Motorsport<\/p>\n
7
\n24
\nErnesto RIVERA
\nMEX
\nM2 Competition<\/p>\n
8
\n52
\nNolan ALLAER
\nUSA
\nGiles Motorsport<\/p>\n
9
\n69
\nKalle ROVANPER\u00c4
\nFIN
\nHitech<\/p>\n
10
\n22
\nSebastian MANSON
\nNZL
\nM2 Competition<\/p>\n
11
\n50
\nJack TAYLOR
\nAUS
\nGiles Motorsport<\/p>\n
12
\n21
\nYevan DAVID
\nLKA
\nKiwi Motorsport<\/p>\n
13
\n41
\nRicardo BAPTISTA
\nBRA
\nTJ Speed with HMD<\/p>\n
14
\n33
\nFionn MCLAUGHLIN
\nIRL
\nHitech<\/p>\n
15
\n14
\nCooper SHIPMAN
\nUSA
\nKiwi Motorsport<\/p>\n
16
\n13
\nJames WHARTON
\nAUS
\nTJ Speed with HMD<\/p>\n
17
\n27
\nFreddie SLATER
\nGBR
\nM2 Competition<\/p>\n
18
\n8
\nTrevor LATOURRETTE
\nUSA
\nTJ Speed with HMD<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
DNF<\/p>\n
3
\nZack SCOULAR
\nNZL
\nMTEC Motorsport<\/p>\n
![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/285249.gif\")