Robert Shwartzman has won the Denny Hulme Memorial Trophy with victory in the Castrol Toyota Racing Series feature race at Taupo.

The Russian led the race from start to finish, surviving his first Safety Car restart as leader in his career.

Marcus Armstrong (Christchurch) finished second, the series leader again banking good points, and Richard Verschoor (Netherlands) third.

Juan Manuel Correa (United States) and Brendon Leitch (Invercargill) rounded out the top five.

The Safety Car was caused when Clement Novalak ran off and tore suspension and the gearbox off his car, though the Brit was uninjured.

Leitch won the day’s earlier reverse grid race at Bruce McLaren Motorsport Park.

Armstrong leads the series by 33 points with one round remaining at Circuit Chris Amon (Manfeild) next weekend (February 8-11).

Castrol Toyota Racing Series, Round 4, Taupo, Race 2, 15 laps (Top 10)

1, B Leitch (Invercargill);
2, R Yardley (Christchurch);
3, R Verschoor (Netherlands);
4, M Armstrong (Christchurch)
5, R Shwartzman (Russia);
6, T Cockerton (Pukekohe);
7, R Harker (Albany);
8, J Pull (England);
9, J-M Correa (USA);
10, C Novalak (England)

Denny Hulme Memorial Trophy, 20 laps (Top 10)

1, Shwartzman;
2, Armstrong;
3, Verschoor;
4, Correa;
5, Leitch;
6, C Das (USA);
7, Pull;
8, C Milesi (France);
9, Yardley;
10, Cockerton

Series points (Top 10)

1, Armstrong, 761;
2, Shwartzman, 728;
3, Verschoor, 701;
4, Correa, 612;
5, Pull, 581;
6, C Novalak (England) 539;
7, Leitch, 456;
8, Cockerton, 448;
9, Harker, 430;
10, Yardley, 416.