Wood maintains form for another pole position

30 January 2021 / Events

Championship challenger Ryan Wood claimed another pole position at Hampton Downs as the Best Bars Toyota 86 Championship field completed qualifying for a busy race day at the TOYOTA GAZOO Racing Festival.

He will be joined on the front row for the first race of the day by Rowan Shepherd, while championship leader Simon Evans will start fifth in the Wet and Forget Toyota 86.

It was Ronan Murphy who set the early pace in the session for Dayle ITM followed by Alexandra Whitley in the Tony Richards Toyota entry before championship leader Simon Evans popped up at the top of the list followed by early series pace setter Ryan Wood. Rowan Shepherd also clocked a quick time early on too. Marco Giltrap was another with speed and it was this group that continued to trade places in the top five or six as the session progressed.

At the halfway mark Wood remained fastest with Shepherd holding the second fastest time ahead of Evans but as the clocked ticked down Brock Gilchrist popped up in second as he joined Wood in the 1 minute 16 second bracket in the CareVets car.

As the flag came out for the end of the session, Wood's early time remained unbeaten and he claimed the pole position ahead of Shepherd, who nailed a late flyer to jump ahead of Gilchrist and secure a front row spot. Gilchrist starts third with the impressive Giltrap fourth. Simon Evans had to be satisfied with fifth while Murphy also has a third row slot. Justin Allen and Whitley will start seventh and eighth.

John Penny and Mark Mallard complete the top ten in the Penny Homes and Creme Insurance cars respectively. Further back Christina Orr-West did well in the second Dayle ITM car to line up 12th as she battled with injured ribs.

Best Bars Toyota 86 Championship - Round 2 - Qualifying