Defending Toyota Racing Series champion Nick Cassidy has proven the value of persistence, taking the lead in the 2013 championship with a gritty drive to second place in the final race of the third round at Taupo.
Cassidy was alongside British driver Alex Lynn for the feature race of the weekend, the Denny Hulme Memorial Trophy. When championship leader Lucas Auer tangled with speedy teenager Steijn Schothorst as the race started, Cassidy and Lynn were well clear and stayed in front as the 20-lap race developed.
Cassidy has shown dogged determination even when unable to challenge for the lead and has proven the high value of consistency and persistence, taking the championship lead at the midpoint with two rounds – six races – left to run.
Auer is still second despite having to pit with a flat tyre after he and Schothorst came together. Heading back out into the race, Auer rejoined the feature race in last place and a full lap down on the rest of the field. Spike Goddard had beached his car in a run-off area and brought out the safety car, which allowed Auer to rejoin without losing even more time on the rest of the cars.
Alex Lynn, meanwhile, emerges as a serious threat to Cassidy and Auer, with two race wins over the weekend. He has recovered from a dramatic crash at the first round to win the feature race at the second and to win two races at Taupo. His strengthening form means he is now fourth in the championship.
He also posted fastest lap of the feature race, a 1:24.740 on lap 17 though this was well outside the race lap record of 1:24.444 set in 2012 by Jordan King.
Lynn was celebrating a successful weekend with two pole positions and two race wins. He said he was very pleased with his weekend, having carefully managed his tyres to preserve winning pace through the feature race. His margin over Cassidy at the race end was 3.040 seconds; third-placed Bruno Bonifacio was 13.111 seconds adrift.
“Once I got into the lead it was a matter of keeping the tyres strong while watching Nick’s speed,” Lynn said afterward.
Cassidy now has 527 points and his championship over Auer is six points. Though Puerto Rican racer Félix Serrallés had a challenging weekend, he remains third with 474 points.
The Toyota Racing Series now heads to the north Waikato for the fourth round of the 2013 championship at Hampton Downs.
