Callum Hedge Takes Round Win At Pukekohe
Giltrap Group sponsored Callum Hedge has secured another round win in the Toyota 86 series in front of huge crowds at the ITM Supersprint event at Pukekohe.
Sep 12, 2022
With years of racing experience at Pukekohe, the hard-charging Christina Orr-West kept Hedge on his toes but ultimately Hedge prevailed for the overall win.
Former TR86 champion Callum Hedge and Pukekohe veteran, Christina Orr-West, put on a fantastic show as the Toyota 86 category ran its last race at the iconic Pukekohe Park circuit. With the talented Hedge, maintaining his championship-winning form and taking the win.
With a grid formed on points scored in the two previous races on Saturday, it was Hedge on pole position and as the lights went out he made the perfect getaway to lead into the first turn.
Only Orr-West had an answer for his pace and having battled to second place in the opening laps, set about catching Hedge with a barnstormer of a drive. Only a tiny error at the hairpin with a lap to go robbed her of a shot at the lead, but it was smiles all around after a fantastic weekend of racing.
"It's a great way to finish off the weekend at a place that is very special indeed to me," said Hedge afterwards. "I've always loved the challenges here and we've had a great weekend fundraising and enjoying our racing. I don't really have the words to describe how I felt coming over that mountain for the final time."
Orr-West, who came through from the second row, was delighted with second after a solid weekend on the pace at a track where she has completed literally thousands of laps over her career.
"I just went as hard as I could and did everything I could to catch Callum under braking for the chicane. It was on-the-limit stuff and I managed to reduce the gap to him significantly.
Orr saw her chance to slipstreaming past Hedge escape during a mistake under braking near the end of the race and couldn't get close to the young Giltrap supported driver again in the time left.
The Toyota 86 Championship has produced some epic multi-car battles at Pukekohe over its 10 year history and this weekend proved no different with an intense duel for the win as well as the minor placings.
As the chequered flag fell for the final time it was Hedge, Orr-West then Brock Gilchrist who took the final step on the podium after blistering drives that entertained the amassed Pukekohe crowds.
The Pukekohe event was a non-championship round but gave those lining up a shot at the 2023 championship have a few months to gain some seat time before the Toyota 86 series kicks off again at Highlands in January.