Elmiger wins shortened race to make it three winners

Toby Elmiger took his turn on the top step of the podium in the final race of the weekend at round one of the Toyota 86 Trophy Series at Hampton Downs.

Nieko Scoles – arguably the fastest man across the whole weekend – had to settle for another runner-up spot in a race that finished with the final four laps under the Safety Car.

Elmiger’s win was his first in a Toyota 86, and with Nathan Grammer winning the first race and Ajay Giddy the second, it meant three different winners from the three races over the first Trophy weekend.

Toby was rightly pleased to have held off Scoles in what is already shaping up to be a closely fought contest over the next few weeks.

“It’s great to get that first win,” he said afterwards.

“Like all of us, I’m a racing driver, and you want to win after a good race rather than under the Safety Car, but those first laps were great, and the racing is very good. I’m looking forward to the next rounds.”

Riley Boswell led from pole position, but Toby made a great getaway from alongside him on the front row and within half a lap had his nose ahead. Scoles, too, was in a real hurry on the first lap and ended it in second place.

The pack of ten was close throughout the opening couple of laps, and on the third, Taylor Mitchell found a way past Boswell for third place and was closely followed a few corners later by Grammer in what were the two best passing manoeuvres of the race.

The excitement, unfortunately, wasn’t set to last, and it was Scoles who was perhaps worst affected by what was to come, as he was shaping up to make a pass for the lead as the field sped into the fourth lap.

Heading into turn four – with the two leaders holding an advantage over the rest of the field of a few car lengths and Scoles menacing Elmiger– there was chaos further back.

Marcel Bartley had been gaining pace all weekend and was in the thick of the action at the back of the pack. A bold attempt to pass Josh Hill down the inside turned the unlucky Right Karts by M2 Competition driver around.

Mark Mallard took to the grass to avoid any contact, and both drivers managed to get going again. Marcel, though, had damaged his car and was stuck inside the turn-four exit.

Time ran out to retrieve him, and they took the chequered flag under safety car – with Elmiger winning ahead of Scoles, Giddy, Mitchell, Boswell, Grammer, Mitch Vye, Mallard and Hill.

With the first three races of 12 on the calendar complete, the early points leaders are Nieko Scoles in the Trophy Class for rookie TR86 racers and Ajay Giddy and Nieko Scoles tied for first in the Winter Series class.

2026 Toyota 86 Trophy Series – Round 1 Hampton Downs – Race 3

Header Image: Bruce Jenkins