New Zealander Ryan Wood has continued his dominant qualifying record by claiming top spot at The Bend. It’s Wood’s fourth TAG Heuer Pole Award from four attempts this season.
The battle between the Kiwi and championship leader Thomas Sargent will continue with today’s Race 1, Sargent starting alongside on the front row. Only 9 points separate the duo in the standings, Sargent having claimed five race wins to Wood’s three.
Wood’s flyer lap-time, 1min 50.4916sec, is a new class record at the circuit, the time eclipsing that of Sargent by .37 of a second.
“I was pretty happy with that,” said Wood following the session.
“It was back and forth between myself and Tom the whole session, but I had to jag one out at the end there.
“But moving forward we should be good in the races and hopefully take out a couple race wins this weekend. I literally did it with a lap to go, we’re just getting used the green tyre as we don’t run a lot of greens.
“With the rain forecast for tomorrow, hopefully we can carry on where we left in Sandown, I haven’t driven much in the wet, Sandown was my first time, so hopefully we can come away with the race win.”
The other New Zealander in the field, Madeline Stewart, also qualified inside the top 10. She will start ninth in the record 24-car field.
Race 1 gets underway at 12.40pm and will run 8 laps. The 22-lap Jim Richards Endurance Trophy race will follow at 4.10pm.
