On a more positive note, Saturday’s racing at Taupō provided great entertainment for the fans who made the effort to get to the track.
Brodie Kostecki arrived in New Zealand on a roll, having won three of the four races last time out at Melbourne and sitting on top of the points table. He was quick during practice and snatched pole for Saturday’s first race. However, his dominance didn’t continue in qualifying for race two where Kiwi driver Ryan Wood grabbed his fourth pole and a first for Toyota.
True to early series form, Kostecki was untroubled in the first race of the weekend, taking the win from Will Brown and Wood, who battled hard most of the contest.
Matthew Payne had a solid race, finishing fifth, with fellow Kiwi Andre Heimgartner coming home 12th.
“I didn’t get the ideal start, but I knew if I could hang in there [side by side] I would have the inside line for the next corner,” said Kostecki.
“I knew we had a good car like we did at Melbourne and it showed today. I feel really happy with the team at the moment and we’re on a bit of a roll.
“We haven’t been on this tyre for a while and I was managing it at the start before pushing a bit harder later in the race and letting it unleash.”
Saturday’s longer afternoon race at 60 laps (after 37 for race one) was more of a challenge for the drivers and Kostecki wasn’t able to replicate his earlier dominance. However, pole sitter Wood was in a groove and after the first round of pit stops was comfortably ahead of Will Brown and defending champion Chaz Mostert.
With 18 laps to go, drivers were ducking into the lane for the last pitstop of the race, and when the dust had settled, Wood had been jumped by Mostert with Brown and Broc Feeney breathing down his neck.
By lap 55, Wood was back in the lead and took the chequered flag from a fast-charging Feeney and a fading Mostert. Fellow Kiwis Payne and Heimgartner finished fifth and 12th, respectively.
Wood’s win came with a couple of bonuses: he now leads the race for the Jason Richards Memorial Trophy and presented Toyota with its first Supercars win.
“It’s pretty special and a big thanks to the team,” said Wood after the race. “This is incredible and I can’t believe it and it means so much to do it [win] in front of fans, family and friends.
“My dad was probably bawling his eyes out, but my mum was probably a bit tougher. To be honest the last two laps were pretty emotional. I would just like to thank everyone who made it happen.”
The teams will be disappointed they aren’t racing tomorrow, but relieved they have an extra day to get to the South Island. They will also be relieved they don’t have to gamble racing in the wet and the potential for heavy damage with such a short turnaround.