Photo: Toyota Racing NZ
Toyota Racing Series title rivals Andrew Tang and Jann Mardenborough were quickest in practice ahead of the final round at Manfeild.
Tang posted the fastest time of the five sessions of running over Thursday and Friday, topping the penultimate session with a time of 1m03.248s.
The Singaporean had also set the pace in Thursday’s opening session, followed by the returning Nick Cassidy and Mardenborough.? Tang’s Neale Motorsport team-mate James Munro?then headed the second session of the day, followed by Tang and Mardenborough, who are split by seven points at the top of the standings.
Giles Motorsport racer Mardenborough was quickest in the first of Friday’s three sessions. Tang was second ahead of Martin Rump, who sits fifth in the standings, 59 points off the lead. Damon Leitch, fourth in the points, was fourth quickest ahead of double champion Cassidy and Steijn Schothorst.
Cassidy was second to Neale team-mate Tang in Friday’s second sesison, with Egor Orudzhev third. The Russian is third in the standings, 24 points behind Tang. Mardenborough was fourth quickest, followed by Macauley Jones and Rump.
Friday session times
| Pos | Driver | Team | Session 1 | Session 2 | Session 3 |
| 1 | Andrew Tang | Neale Motorsport | 1:03.664 | 1:03.248 | 1:03.454 |
| 2 | Jann Mardenborough | Giles Motorsport | 1:03.594 | 1:03.650 | 1:03.266 |
| 3 | Nick Cassidy | Neale Motorsport | 1:03.940 | 1:03.315 | 1:03.818 |
| 4 | Damon Leitch | Victory Motor Racing | 1:03.926 | 1:04.036 | 1:03.419 |
| 5 | Egor Orudzhev | M2 Competition | 1:04.151 | 1:03.552 | 1:03.952 |
| 6 | Matteo Ferrer | Giles Motorsport | 1:04.434 | 1:03.917 | 1:03.728 |
| 7 | Steijn Schothorst | M2 Competition | 1:03.974 | 1:04.200 | 1:03.733 |
| 8 | Macauley Jones | M2 Competition | 1:04.280 | 1:03.765 | 1:04.322 |
| 9 | Martin Rump | Giles Motorsport | 1:03.874 | 1:03.808 | 1:03.767 |
| 10 | Ryan Tveter | Giles Motorsport | 1:04.328 | 1:03.818 | 1:04.000 |
| 11 | James Munro | Neale Motorsport | 1:04.061 | 1:04.059 | 1:04.035 |
| 12 | Levin Amweg | M2 Competition | 1:04.102 | 1:04.811 | No time |
| 13 | Matevos Isaakyan | ETEC Motorsport | 1:04.560 | 1:04.279 | 1:04.111 |
| 14 | Denis Korneev | ETEC Motorsport | 1:04.131 | 1:04.437 | 1:04.383 |
| 15 | Michael Scott | Victory Motor Racing | 1:04.432 | 1:06.473 | 1:04.216 |
| 16 | Gustavo Lima | M2 Competition | 1:04.353 | 1:04.253 | 1:04.256 |
| 17 | Martin Kodric | ETEC Motorsport | 1:04.352 | 1:04.462 | 1:04.486 |
| 18 | Neil Alberico | Victory Motor Racing | 1:05.065 | 1:04.571 | 1:04.456 |
| 19 | Matt Rao | Giles Motorsport | 1:04.575 | 1:04.580 | 1:04.745 |
| 20 | Robin Hansson | Victory Motor Racing | 1:04.808 | 1:04.755 | 1:04.558 |
| 21 | Alif Hamdan | Giles Motorsport | 1:04.967 | 1:04.732 | 1:05.224 |
| 22 | Brendon Leitch | Victory Motor Racing | 1:04.768 | 1:04.838 | 1:04.807 |
| 23 | Jordan Oon | ETEC Motorsport | 1:04.911 | 1:04.900 | 1:04.829 |