The TekworkX Motorsport driver did three laps of the Reid Park Street Circuit, less than most others, to set the benchmark 1:27.8356 which was 0.16s ahead of James Lodge for Ash Seward Motorsport, and Walkinshaw Andretti United’s Matt Hillyer.

The GR Cup is TGRA’s new one-make series which replaces the Toyota 86 that ran from 2016 to 2023 and is now the second tier Scholarship Series. Thirty-two of the 34 cars constructed are competing in Townsville.

The new GR86 is a faster, refined and improved version of the 86. The changes include a more aerodynamic body that is slightly lower, longer, and wider in the rear and with a stiffer chassis. The boxer engine has increase capacity from 2.0lt to 2.4lt and power output is up by 10 percent to 245hp (183kw) and torque increased to 184.5ft/lbs (250Nm).

Fourth fastest was Toyota guest driver Jayden Ojeda ahead of Ben Gomersall and Max Geoghegan who has won all three rounds of the Scholarship Series so far this year. Brock Stinson was seventh in front of Lincoln Taylor, Hayden Hume and Jack Westbury.

Outside the top 10 were 2022 86 series winner Lachlan Gibbons, Ryan Tomsett, Charlie Nash, Zane Rinaldi, Clay Richards, Jett Murray, Will Seal, Hugo Simpson, Alice Buckley and Cooper Barnes.

Earlier there were two practice sessions where Hillyer’s second session time was the quickest overall, ahead of Stinson who topped Practice 1. Richards was third fastest ahead of Gibbons, Ojeda, Taylor, Lodge, Tomsett, Gomersall and Coulthard who is the second Toyota guest driver.

The GR86 Cup will race twice on Saturday at 8:45am and 12:45pm AEST.