Wood secures Toyota’s first Supercars win
Kiwi youngster Ryan Wood dominated at Taupo to claim is first win in New Zealand and Toyota’s first in the category
The latest Kiwi motorsport hero has collected his first win on home soil.
Wellington’s Ryan Wood has claimed Race 9 of at the ITM Taupo Super 440, his second career win and first in New Zealand.
Along with a win at home for Wood, it was an historic first win for Toyota in Supercars, which debuted the GR Supra Supercar in the Championship just two months ago.
In just its ninth race, Toyota became the quickest new manufacturer to win in the Supercars era.
After starting on pole, 22-year-old Wood led the 60-lap race on the Saturday of the race meeting until the final pit stop sequence when teammate Chaz Mostert emerged in the lead for the sprint to the flag.
Wood then passed Mostert with eight laps to go and held off Mostert and a charging Broc Feeney to score a hugely popular win.
Triple Eight’s Feeney in second and Mostert in third rounded out the podium, with Feeney’s teammate – 2024 champion – Will Brown and Auckland’s Matt Payne – in his Grove Racing Mustang – completing the top five.
“That’s a wrap on a massive weekend here in Taupo,” Wood said.
“I’m honestly a bit lost for words; we managed to get Toyota its first pole position and race win today – that’s pretty special to be a part of.
“I’ve had two wins in Supercars now and I’ve been lucky enough to share it with my teammate Mozzie which I’m really grateful for.
“I have never had a race like today; I’m really proud of our team and myself. I felt like we executed where we needed to and we got the results for it.
“The hard work is really paying off. We have worked our way up to position two in the teams Championship, which is a testament to the incredible work the crew have been putting in since last round.”
Announced earlier in the day, Sunday’s action at Taupo was cancelled due to the incoming Cyclone Vaianu.
Brodie Kostecki leaves Taupo with the championship lead after finishing sixth in Race 9. Earlier in the day he had driven his Dick Johnson Racing Ford Mustang to victory in the morning’s 37-lap Race 8, ahead of Brown and Wood.
The Championship now heads to New Zealand’s South Island for the very first time, with the inaugural Supercars event at Ruapuna Raceway taking place next weekend.
The 120-kilometre race scheduled for Sunday at Taupo will instead be held on Friday of next weekend’s ITM Christchurch Super 440.
The driver who scores the most points across this weekend’s event in Taupo and next weekend in Christchurch will be awarded the Jason Richards Memorial Trophy, named for beloved Kiwi driver Jason Richards who succumbed to cancer in 2011.
