Giddy storms to Race 1 victory

Ajay Giddy converted pole position to his first race win in a Toyota 86 this morning at the second round of the Toyota 86 Trophy Series at Taupo, but he didn’t have it all his own way.

Giddy was beaten off the line by series newcomer Antal Sabo, who started alongside him on the front row of the grid.

Antal made the best start in his RaceLab Academy entry and led confidently around the first lap but Ajay had him under pressure quickly and Sabo’s lack of race experience showed when he went into Turn One too quickly on the defensive line, went wide on the exit and allowed the front runners through.

Giddy never looked back and raced away from a chasing Harry Townshend and Lee Zeltwanger to score maximum points in the Winter class for drivers who raced in the main Bridgestone GR 86 Championship while Zeltwanger extended his Trophy class lead with another classy podium result.

Townshend put in a solid drive for another second place, resisting pressure from Zeltwanger before edging away by a few car lengths in the final couple of laps.

Race victory however, belonged to Giddy, who remains not only the youngest driver in Toyota 86 racing in NZ, but also one of the country’s youngest and most promising rising stars.

“That’s great to get the first win and after Antal made his mistake it was just a question of me not making any either. The car was very good though,” said a delighted Giddy afterwards.

Sabo showed plenty of speed but a similar mistake at turn one later in the race defending his fourth position pushed him back to sixth in the overall results behind CareVets Scholarship racer Corban Sprague and DAYLE ITM driver Matt Day.

Action Motorsport duo Toby Elmiger and Noel Simpson finished seventh and eighth while Nathan Grammer completed the runners in ninth - making it to the chequered flag despite having a slow puncture.

Toyota 86 Trophy Series – Round 2 Taupo Race 1