Giddy fastest in qualifying but newcomer Sabo impresses

Ajay Giddy will start from pole position for the first race of the second round of the Toyota 86 Trophy Series at Taupo today, but it’s newbie Antal Sabo who caught the eye with a superb front row starting spot on debut.

Giddy - who swapped cars after some problems with hias regular chassis on Saturday - hit the front after the drivers had completed their first flying laps, his 1 minute 42.491 a full eight tenths and more head of fellow Bridgestone GR86 Championship rival Harry Townshend.

Ajay was quickest in the very cold first practice session of the morning with a very fast lap in the low 1 minute 42 second bracket before going even quicker in qualifying.

He was immediately put under pressure, however, by series debutant Antal Sabo who went 1 minute 42.07 to briefly go fastest before Giddy stopped the clocks at 1 minute 41.977. The youngster was delighted to be fastest overall and for the Winter class, although Sabo heads the Trophy class heading into the first race later this morning.

"It wasn't ideal swapping over cars but this one is very quick and the team did a great job to get us up to speed quickly from the start of practice. It's always good to get pole position," Giddy said afterwards. It was his first pole position in Toyota 86 racing.

Round one sensation Lee Zeltwanger left his run until late in the qualifying session and recorded a 1 minute 42.266 – a tenth off Sabo – to take the inside slot on the second row of the grid.

Townshend bagged a personal best on his second flying lap with a low 1 minute 42 second lap, but it wasn’t enough to shift Giddy, and the impressive Sabo, from the front row.

CareVets Scholarship winner Corban Sprague was next up in fifth ahead of Nathan Grammer, with Matt Day and Toby Elmiger locking out the fourth row of the grid leaving Noel Simpson at the back, though the experienced racer had missed Saturday’s two practice runs.

Toyota 86 Trophy Series – Round 2 Taupo Qualifying