Tomsett takes maiden 86 Series win at The Bend

Fifteen-year-old Ryan Tomsett has converted his first 86 Series pole into a hard-fought win after being swallowed up off the start of Race 1 at The Bend.

Tomsett was beaten by Jayden Wanzek who led from Matt Hillyer into Turn 1,  with Ryan Chasha taking a spot to fifth.

Fabian Coulthard – making a series cameo – was up four spots to fourth, charging through as Hillyer fell to sixth place in the opening lap battle after dropping his wheels in the dirt and having to hang on to the #2 Toyota.

Wanzek led the field across the line after Lap 1 from Tomsett – who grabbed P2 back – with Casha, Cody Burcher then Coulthard as a last corner battle shook up the field.

As much as five-wide into Turn 1 on the second lap further down the order saw dust flying, with Ryan Hadden the biggest mover in the field in 16th from 24th on the grid.

On Lap 3, Tomsett dived down the inside of Wanzek at Turn 1 to take the lead, the pole-sitter recovering after the opening lap mugging.

Casha was third, from Burcher, who’d taken Coulthard for fourth, with Hiller in sixth. Brock Stinson shortly took that spot from Hillyer, as Clay Richards made his way through the field – P22 on Lap 3 from 31st on the grid.

The massive battle pack for sixth led by Stinson and Hillyer was still on, with Stinson forcing Hillyer on the outside at Turn 3 before the Formula Ford leader was given a nudge from Hughes.

Jack Westbury was all over Hillyer, who had Reuben Goodall and Jarrod Hughes battling which give Stinson in P6 the chance to break free of the battle by several car lengths.

A spinning James Holdsworth dropped to the rear of the field and was lucky not to be collected.

Tomsett up front broke Declan Fraser’s 86 Series lap record on Lap 4, leading by 0.3137s to Wanzek, with Casha holding on in third.

Lap 6 and Hadden had now progressed to 10th with Clay Richards now the biggest mover – up 14 positions to P18 – as he passed Oscar Targett.

Fabian Coulthard had settled into fifth place in #100, well clear of Goodall who continued to head the fight for sixth from Stinson and Hillyer.

The final lap saw Burcher pull alongside third-placed Casha after the #79 made an error at the last corner, enabling Burcher to take the inside line to make the move into Turn 1.

Coulthard gained ground on the pair as the battled, but not close enough to mount a proper attack, finishing fourth.

Tomsett inched out his lead, having set a 2:15.7313 – the fastest lap of the race – to lead by 1.1sec which would be his margin at the chequered flag, with runner-up Wanzek recording his first podium from Burcher – who narrowed the points gap to Casha.

Race 2 of the Toyota Gazoo Racing Series Australia takes place at 08:30 local/09:00 AEST Sunday August 20.

2023 Toyota Gazoo Racing Australia 86 Series Round 3
Race 1 Saturday August 19