Mitchell is third winner of Taupo weekend

CareVets Scholarship winner Tayler Mitchell became the third winner of the weekend at Taupo, winning the final race of the second round of the Toyota 86 Trophy Series.

Mitchell started second on the grid behind two-time race winner this season, Toby Elmiger, but was ahead at the end of the first lap. Seven laps later, the pair were only separated by less than two tenths of a second, but Elmiger had been unable to topple Mitchell from the top spot.

It was classic Toyota 86 racing with the two protagonists jousting throughout. They were side by side on the final lap from turn seven all the way to the finish line and the chequered flag in one of the best moments so far in the Trophy Series short history.

Nathan Grammer continued his strong weekend with another trip to the podium – this time with third place, while just behind him Mitch Vye continued his race-by-race improvement with fourth overall and another personal best result.

Riley Boswell made it into the top five again, while Marcel Bartley was another catching the eye with a strong run to sixth.  Josh Hill had a lonely run to seventh behind Bartley.

It was a tougher race for Sunday’s earlier winner, Nieko Scoles, who had to make a trip into the pits for repairs to a loose bumper. He would re-join the race and go on to finish seventh. The other runner in the field,  Mark Mallard, failed to finish.

Intriguingly, the two protagonists of that final race – Elmiger and Mitchell – leave Taupo equal on points at the top of the Winter Series table, with Grammer and Scoles still well within striking distance halfway through. Scoles leads the Trophy Series points for Toyota 86 rookies.

2026 Toyota 86 Trophy Series – Round 2 Taupo Motorsport Park – Race 1

Header Image: Bruce Jenkins