Cole Armstrong won the opening round of the 2020 Valvoline D1NZ National Drifting Championship at Teretonga Park on Saturday as the D1NZ drifters entertained a good crowd at the end of Day One of an action packed weekend.
Rookie Taylor James in his first round in the Pro Championship class won the third versus fourth run-off over Adam Davies while Armstrong overcame Dave Steedman in the final to take the round.
Brazilian driver Caio Collet won the first race of the second round of the Castrol Toyota Racing Series. Collet had been fast but unlucky at the opening round at Highlands Motorsport Park in Cromwell last weekend and after qualifying fourth in a shortened qualifying session after Chelsea Herbert left the track, he was quickly into the lead going on to win the race. Swiss driver Gregoire Saucy maintained his strong start to the series to finish second with pole position man Igor Fraga of Brazil third.
There was an action packed start to the race which put Australian Jackson Walls out. Defending champion and championship leader Liam Lawson of New Zealand missed getting a good time in qualifying and started thirteenth but ultimately drove through to sixth.
In other Saturday races Billy Frazer won both the NZ Formula Ford race and the South Island F1600 event. He took the New Zealand Championship race from Callum Crawley and Zac Stichbury and the South Island race from Jack Noble-Adams and Kim Crocker.
Jaylyn Robotham of Australia took the Best Bars Toyota 86 race from Peter Vodanovich of Auckland and Campbell Stewart while Callum Hedge took the South Island Porsche race from Hayden Knighton of Christchurch.
BP Ultimate Motorsport Championship – Sunday January 26
9:00 SpeedWorks Rush Hour Qualifying
9:35 Castrol Toyota Racing Series Qualifying 2
ITM Formula Ford Championship Race 2
South Island Porsche Series Race 2
Best Bars Toyota 86 Championship Race 2
South Island Formula 1600 Series Race 2
Castrol Toyota Racing Series Race 2
SpeedWorks Rush Hour 1 Hour Race
Lunch Break
14:00 ITM Formula Ford Championship Race 3
South Island Porsche Series Race 3
Best Bars Toyota 86 Championship Race 3
South Island Formula 1600 Series Race 3
16:10 Castrol Toyota Racing Series Race 3