Sprague shows Taupo speed

Corban Sprague sparkled in the winter sunshine at Taupo today as drivers limbered up for the second round of the Toyota 86 Trophy Series.

In the bright but cold final hours of the winter solstice, Sprague topped the timesheets in the first of Saturday's two sessions, heading GR86 championship series regular Ajay Giddy by just over two tenths of a second.

The CareVets driver looked smooth and confident around the challenging corners of the 3.3km layout putting in a series of six consecutive laps where all but two were in the 1 minute 43 second barrier.

Next up in third was round one sensation Lee Zeltwanger, followed by Harry Townshend and new entry Antal Rafael-Sabo enjoying his first taste of Toyota 86 racing. Nathan Grammer was just a tenth further back in sixth, with Matt Day and Toby Elmiger next up.

Townshend set the pace in the cooler and probably slightly faster final session, the first of the drivers to go under 1 minute 43 seconds with a 1 minute 42.986 best on his second flying lap of the session.

Grammer enjoyed a stronger second session as he clocked a best lap time just nine one hundredths shy of Harry's P1 time, while Giddy was there again in third until Sprague bettered his time by seven one thousandths twenty minutes into the session to go third and push Giddy into fourth. Sabo improved his time but remained fifth fastest ahead of Elmiger, Day and a relaxed Zeltwanger.

The drivers will have qualifying followed by two races on Sunday and will be joined by TR86 veteran Noel Simpson for the race action, his car missing from Saturday's testing.