Manfeild to challenge 86 drivers
Banked corners, long fast straights, turns with multiple apexes that offer the prospect of brave drivers overtaking off the racing line: Manfeild is going to challenge the Toyota 86 Championship racers as never before.
This is the penultimate round of the 2016/17 championship, which started at the V8 Supercar event in Pukekohe in November.
Christchurch’s Ryan Yardley leads the points race, but his title is not assured. Not with a resurgent Michael Scott seeking more points and driving the car that finished second in the 2015/16 championship.
Not with Reid Harker prowling the circuit looking for race wins.
Even Yardley’s team-mate looks handy here - Jack Milligan is the leading rookie.
Their challenge is to overcome Yardley’s 108-point advantage going into the Grand Prix weekend.
Te Puke’s Michael Scott is closest to Yardley and would be closer if not for a catastrophic crash at the opening round.
With the support of friends and donors on a Givealittle page, Scott was back at the next round and has shown the value of consistency, with three second-placings. Scott was Yardley’s team-mate in last year’s championship.
Ryan said with a possibility of rain at the weekend, the weather could influence the racing. But all three have shown they are capable of top results even in the chill sleet encountered at Teretonga.
Jack Milligan, fourth overall, has his own battle to pay attention to. He is the leading rookie, but right behind him is the fastimproving Brody Mcconkey.
The 2016/17 Toyota 86 Championship is the richest race category in the summer series, with a prize purse across all six rounds of $100,000.
It is open to a race version of Toyota’s acclaimed 86 sports coupe, the TR 86. Built in Toyota’s Mt Wellington race headquarters, the cars feature an Fiaspecification roll cage, touring car race seats and harnesses, a full race brake package and adjustable suspension.
They run on Michelin slick tyres with a wet tyre option.
There are three races this weekend for the 86 field, meaning three chances to score 75 points by winning a race.
Ryan could put the title out of reach of his rivals, or with a slip could allow Scott or Harker to close in and even overtake him.