Ugo Ugochukwu takes first FR Oceania win in race three at Hampton Downs
One of the fastest drivers so far in the Toyota FR Oceania series did it the hard way on Sunday, taking victory after starting fourth on the grid.
WAIKATO, New Zealand–Ugo Ugochukwu made his way through the pack from fourth on the grid to take his first victory in the Toyota Formula Regional Oceania Trophy series at Hampton Downs.
The American had begun each day winning pole position but had been unable to convert the position to a win in race one on Saturday, making victory in race three even more well-earned.
The grid had been set from the fastest race lap times on Saturday, and it was Mexican Red Bull junior Ernesto Rivera on pole alongside Japan's Kanato Le, with Aussie James Wharton in third alongside Ugochukwu.
Ugochukwu was up to second but Le had the best jump off the line and was into the lead, using the new 'push to pass' system to build a lead of over a second to the American.
Ugo chased down the Japanese driver and was able to make his move for the lead on lap eight, holding his own through a safety car restart and taking the chequered flag, as Le and Rivera completed the podium.
"That was important for us... and starting fourth we had plenty to do,' said Ugochukwu,
"But I made a mega start, the best I've done so far. It was quite tricky moving through to the lead but once I did, I just had to manage it. Pace all round has been good, and we are getting really good points."
It was all action further back in the field, with Ryan Wood up to eighth and under the wing of his mtec Motorsport teammate Louis Sharp.
Wood survived a wild moment at the exit of turn one before the race was briefly neutralised behind the safety car.
At the restart, the pressure was slightly off Sharp, who set upon Brit Freddie Slater for sixth.
Sharp able to put his mtec Motorsport FT-60 past Slater, who then got into the marbles and dropped all the way to 12th by the end of the lap.
Aussie James Wharton held on for fifth ahead of the squabbling pack, with Sharp, Wood, and Sebatian Manson next in the final order, with the Kiwi trio running sixth to eighth.
The battle was a highlight but nothing could take away from Ugochukwu's first victory, racing away in his M2 Competition machinery to a lead of more than a second at the line.
The American will start the final race of the day–the Dorothy Smith Memorial Cup–on pole position.
