Kiwi Zack Scoular wins Toyota Formula Regional Oceania opener at Taupo
The 17-year-old New Zealander won in his first ever race on home soil.
Kiwi Zack Scoular took the top step in the Toyota Formula Regional Oceania opener at Taupo, his first ever race on home soil after years overseas.
The seventeen-year-old pulled away easily from pole position and held a comfortable lead of at least one second for most of the race ahead of a duel between Red Bull backed drivers Will Brown and Arvid Lindblad.
"I'm honestly lost for words," said Scoular.
"First win in single seaters, and what a grid to do it on. To do it in my home country, it's honestly a pleasure, it's so cool. I'm pretty excited, not going to lie."
"We got a good launch, and then we were just doing quali lap, quali lap, quali lap. I expected there to be more deg, but the tyre just stayed the whole race and didn't feel like it affected me too much."
Despite a few wobbles as he adjusted to the open-wheel machinery, Australian Supercars champion Will Brown consolidated his lead over his newfound British rival just past the halfway mark, but it wasn't enough to close up and challenge the local boy for the win.
"I just tried to keep him out of my mirrors, overtaking is pretty hard around here, so I knew if he was going to go for it, he would have to be a bit closer," said Scoular.
"He dropped away towards the middle and then started coming back, but he never got close enough to try a move."
Fellow Aussie Patrick Heuzenroeder provided entertainment throughout the race after a touch in the first corner sent him off track and to the rear of the field, clawing his way back to ninth by the chequered flag and narrowly missing out on reverse-grid pole for race two on Sunday.
The field returns for qualifying on Sunday morning before the reverse-grid race two at 11am (AEDT) and the Denny Hulme Memorial Trophy at 2.55pm.
Toyota Formula Regional Oceania - Taupo Race 1
- Zack Scoular (NZ)
- Will Brown (AUS)
- Arvid Lindblad
- Nikita Johnson
- Matias Zagazeta
- Michael Shin
- Enzo Yeh
- Josh Pierson
- Patrick Heuzenroeder (AUS)
- Sebastian Manson (NZ)
- Alex Crosbie (NZ)
- Nicholas Monteiro
- Nicholas Stati (AUS)
- Jett Bowling
- Shawn Rashid
- Barrett Wolfe
- James Lawley
