Gilchrist gets it done to claim Toyota 86 opening race honours

Toyota 86 veteran Brock Gilchrist has claimed a lights-to-flag victory to start his 2023 Toyota 86 Championship Championship title hunt perfectly.

Things weren’t made easy for Gilchrist, however, Clay Osborne keeping pressure on all race in wait of a slip-up which never came.

Likewise, Osborne was kept on his toes early by Justin Allen behind before pulling away slightly at the end to take second place.

Allen rounded out the podium, youngster Tom Bewley showing he’s a contender with fourth.

For Gilchrist, it’s the perfect start to a season which holds so much promise.

“Continuing the form from our Pukekohe Supercars round feels great,” he said following the race. “It’s definitely a hot one out here but it feels great.

“[Clay Osborne] certainly didn’t ease off that whole race.”

Osborne was a rocket off second on the grid from the initial start, but Gilchrist, from pole, held the inside line into the chicane which allowed him to emerge cleanly with the lead.

It didn’t take long for the first red flag of the season when Harry Townshend spun through the chicane exit, back across track and into the path of Saxon Sheehan.

Sheehan was unlucky with nowhere to go, t-boning Townshend at speed and damaging both cars. Both drivers emerged unharmed from the wreckage.

A number of other drivers were also caught up as they took avoiding action, cosmetic damage evident on several competitors.

A full restart allowed Gilchrist to get it right second time around, the series veteran leaving Osborne to fight off a fast-starting Allen from behind.

Clay Osborne did, however, show some great pace to pull the field along and ensure the leader couldn’t build at the front.

Along with Allen, Osborne kept pressure on to remain within a second after the opening few laps.

Battles throughout the midfield also kept things interesting, the ever-quick Christina Orr-West joined by the likes of John Penny, Dion Pitt, Fynn Osborne, Rylan Gray and William Morton to create a breath-taking battle pack.

Penny was superb in his efforts to hold off challengers with brake issues evident, lockups the order of the day.

Fynn Osborne was also excellent is his drive to tenth after being caught up in the Lap 1 accident.

Toyota 86 returns tomorrow for Race 2 at 11am.

Header Image:  Bruce Jenkins