Australian driver Jason Bargwanna seized the early lead in the New Zealand V8 Touring Cars championship at Pukekohe today after three tough battles with Kiwi Nick Ross.

Reigning champion Bargwanna won two races over the Thunder in the Park weekend in his Toyota Camry and Ross, from Cambridge, took the other in his Holden Commodore.

The two cars came into contact at times and in all three races the winning margin was less than a second.

“It was a really good battle with Nick,” Bargwanna said. “Nick was probably quicker most of the weekend but we just managed to be at the right place at the right time.

“We had a little bit of contact at the hairpin in race two but it was nothing too stressful. We passed other probably half a dozen times over the course of the three races, at different parts of the track. It was quite entertaining.

“The boys kept tuning the car up and by the third race we ended up getting the speed out of it.”

It was Bargwanna’s first drive in the Toyota, after racing a Commodore last season. It was also the first round victory for Richards Team Motorsport, who built and run the car.

The Australian dedicated his victory to former NZV8s championship coordinator David Slater, who died suddenly last weekend.

Shaun Varney stands third in the TLX class for new cars after scoring a third and two fourths in his Commodore. Lance Hughes notched up two fourth and a fifth in his Ford Falcon.

Teenager AJ Lauder, who won the TL class for the original-specification NZV8 Touring Cars (formerly known as NZV8s) last season, joined Bargwanna in the Richards Toyota team. He did not start the first race but showed good speed to finish third in the other two.

Lower Hutt driver James McLaughlin heads the TL class with two wins in his Commodore.

Father and son Ian and Matthew Booth had a memorable day yesterday when they both finished on the podium – first and third respectively – in the opening race of the weekend.

Bargwanna and McLaughlin win NZV8s opening round