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Cassidy claims double pole on TRS return at Manfeild

by Peter Allen
written by Peter Allen
Nick Cassidy

Photo: Toyota Racing NZ

Two-time Toyota Racing Series champion Nick Cassidy has claimed a double pole position on his return at the 2014 finale at Manfeild.

In both wet qualifying sessions – which set the grids for races one and three respectively – the New Zealander finished ahead of championship rivals Andrew Tang and Jann Mardenborough.

Cassidy was 0.226 seconds clear of Neale Motorsport team-mate Tang in the opening session, and then 0.39 ahead in session two, when a misfire forced Tang to abandon his session early while on top. Cassidy is aiming to claim a third straight New Zealand Grand Prix crown in race three.

Mardenborough, who lies seven points in arrears of Tang, twice hauled himself up to third late in the sessions, while Ryan Tveter enjoyed a strong showing by securing a pair of fourth-place grid slots.

Egor Orudzhev and Damon Leitch – in the title frame with 24 and 29 point deficits respectively to Tang, claimed fifth and sixth spots in session one. James Munro was seventh ahead of Matteo Ferrer, Gustavo Lima and?Steijn Schothorst, who triggered a red flag with an off.

Munro took fifth in session two with Ferrer in sixth. Martin Rump – the fifth title contender, who was 11th in session one – was seventh ahead of Leitch, Levin Amweg and Macauley Jones. Orudzhev was 13th.

Qualifying 1 results
Pos. Driver Team Time Gap Laps
1 Nick Cassidy Neale Motorsport 1:10.012 8
2 Andrew Tang Neale Motorsport 1:10.238 0.226 10
3 Jann Mardenborough Giles Motorsport 1:10.293 0.281 7
4 Ryan Tveter Giles Motorsport 1:10.558 0.546 10
5 Egor Orudzhev M2 Competition 1:10.684 0.672 9
6 Damon Leitch Victory Motor Racing 1:10.766 0.754 12
7 James Munro Neale Motorsport 1:10.780 0.768 10
8 Matteo Ferrer Giles Motorsport 1:10.832 0.820 11
9 Gustavo Lima M2 Competition 1:10.930 0.918 10
10 Steijn Schothorst M2 Competition 1:10.971 0.959 4
11 Martin Rump Giles Motorsport 1:11.099 1.087 10
12 Denis Korneev ETEC Motorsport 1:11.140 1.128 11
13 Levin Amweg M2 Competition 1:11.159 1.147 4
14 Martin Kodric ETEC Motorsport 1:11.425 1.413 8
15 Alif Hamdan Giles Motorsport 1:11.459 1.447 8
16 Matevos Isaakyan ETEC Motorsport 1:11.485 1.473 10
17 Macauley Jones M2 Competition 1:11.574 1.562 9
18 Neil Alberico Victory Motor Racing 1:11.633 1.621 10
19 Michael Scott Victory Motor Racing 1:11.635 1.623 9
20 Matt Rao Giles Motorsport 1:11.639 1.627 10
21 Robin Hansson Victory Motor Racing 1:11.891 1.879 11
22 Brendon Leitch Victory Motor Racing 1:12.020 2.008 8
23 Jordan Oon ETEC Motorsport 1:12.311 2.299 10
Qualifying 2 results
Pos. Driver Team Time Gap Laps
1 Nick Cassidy Neale Motorsport 1:09.939 10
2 Andrew Tang Neale Motorsport 1:10.329 0.390 7
3 Jann Mardenborough Giles Motorsport 1:10.375 0.436 9
4 Ryan Tveter Giles Motorsport 1:10.605 0.666 9
5 James Munro Neale Motorsport 1:10.619 0.680 9
6 Matteo Ferrer Giles Motorsport 1:10.810 0.871 8
7 Martin Rump Giles Motorsport 1:10.877 0.938 10
8 Damon Leitch Victory Motor Racing 1:10.889 0.950 10
9 Levin Amweg M2 Competition 1:10.893 0.954 9
10 Macauley Jones M2 Competition 1:11.081 1.142 10
11 Martin Kodric ETEC Motorsport 1:11.167 1.228 10
12 Steijn Schothorst M2 Competition 1:11.171 1.232 10
13 Egor Orudzhev M2 Competition 1:11.223 1.284 11
14 Michael Scott Victory Motor Racing 1:11.226 1.287 10
15 Gustavo Lima M2 Competition 1:11.236 1.297 11
16 Denis Korneev ETEC Motorsport 1:11.243 1.304 11
17 Alif Hamdan Giles Motorsport 1:11.272 1.333 8
18 Matt Rao Giles Motorsport 1:11.374 1.435 11
19 Robin Hansson Victory Motor Racing 1:11.701 1.762 11
20 Matevos Isaakyan ETEC Motorsport 1:11.895 1.956 11
21 Damon Leitch Victory Motor Racing 1:12.043 2.104 10
22 Neil Alberico Victory Motor Racing 1:12.089 2.150 9
23 Jordan Oon ETEC Motorsport 1:12.709 2.770 9