Round 3 Recap | Podiums, a Race Win and a Tough Ending at Manfeild

Round 3 of the Toyota 86 Trophy Series took us back to Chris Amon Circuit Manfeild, easily one of my favourite circuits in New Zealand. We headed into the weekend feeling confident after a really positive Friday, with the car feeling quick from the first practice session.

Everything was pointing in the right direction, but qualifying on Saturday didn't quite go to plan. We didn't have the same pace on the fresh green tyres, which meant we had a bit more work to do once the racing started.

That challenge didn't last long.

Starting further back than we would have liked in Race 1, we got away well and worked through the field early, making up positions quickly. By the chequered flag we had secured second place, finishing just behind Mackenzie Motorsport teammate Neiko Scoles to give the team a one-two finish.

The grid for Race 2 was determined by the fastest laps from Race 1, putting us third on the grid. We made a great start and by the end of the opening lap we had moved into the lead. From there it was about staying consistent and bringing the car home, securing another race win for Mackenzie Motorsport and leading home a Mackenzie Motorsport podium lockout, with the team claiming all three podium positions.

The final race of the day was the reverse top five, which put me back in fifth on the grid, ironically the same position I qualified in earlier that morning.

Once again we made good progress, working our way through to third place and looking set for another strong finish. Unfortunately, exiting Turn 5 we suddenly lost all power, bringing our race to an immediate end and recording a DNF.

The incident also unfortunately caught out teammates Neiko Scoles and Miles, who had nowhere to go as my car slowed on the racing line.

It's never the way you want to finish a race weekend, especially when the pace has been there from the very beginning. Despite the disappointment, there are plenty of positives to take away. A second place, a race win and strong speed throughout the weekend give us plenty of confidence heading into the championship finale.

A massive thank you to the entire Mackenzie Motorsport team for another huge effort, along with my family, partners and everyone who continues to support my racing journey.

We're back at Manfeild on 1–2 August for the final round of the Toyota 86 Trophy Series, and we'll be doing everything we can to finish the season on a high.