Pukekohe’s Taylor Cockerton managed to salvage a number of positives from what could be described as an average fourth round of the 2017 Castrol Toyota Racing Series, held at the Bruce McLaren Motorsport Park in Taupo. In his second season of racing in the series, Cockerton’s run of finishing 24 races in a row came to an abrupt end with his first race retirement. However a sixth place in the 20 lap Denny Hulme Trophy feature and setting fastest lap in the second race has given him confidence heading to the fifth and final round this coming weekend at Manfeild Park.
“It was a pretty average weekend,” commented Cockerton. “After the problems in the first two races I was pretty stoked to bring it home in sixth place and gain valuable points. The weekend showed that we do have the race pace to compete with the top guys so lots of positives heading to the NZ Grand Prix meeting.”
Saturday afternoon’s opening 15 lap race proved frustrating for the Waikato University student.
“It was the opening lap and I was coming over the crest at turn four,” commented Cockerton. “I took the inside line, defending my position. Hapsburg was on the outside and the driver immediately in front of him appeared to brake early. Hapsburg changed his line and didn’t realise we were there. I had nowhere to go and ran over the back of his car.
“I was able to get to the pits but we had a couple of broken wish bones (front) which couldn’t be fixed in time to get us back out there. It wasn’t too bad as crashes go, never the less it was a really disappointing result.”
Southland’s Brendon Leitch went on to take a dominant win from fellow Kiwi Marcus Armstrong with Indian driver Jehan Daruvala third.
Sunday morning’s second race was almost a repeat of Saturday’s incident, again with Austrian driver Ferdinand Habsburg
“We started from the back of the field and it was almost a repeat of the first race,” Cockerton said. “Hapsburg started second last. He was side by side with another competitor, collided with another driver and I was right behind him and again, went up the back of his car.
“I was able to pit and this time we were able to re-join the race. The boys did a great job of changing the nose cone and getting us back out without losing a lap. Essentially, we were just circulating. I was able to set the fastest lap of the race, finished 15th and got some points.”
Cockerton then started the final race of the weekend from ninth, finishing a credible sixth and is now eight overall on he points table.
“Starting in the middle of the pack I was in the thick of it with a lot of drivers locking up and an eventual red flag (race stopped). Once we got going again, I was able to get up to fifth and at one stage Hapsburg, Randle, Piquet and I were fighting for third.
“However, the tyres very quickly went ‘off’ and I couldn’t get good drive out of the corners.”
Marcus Armstrong went on to win from pole sitter Daruvala and Hapsburg.
The final three races will be held next weekend at the Chris Amon circuit, Manfeild, culminating in the New Zealand Grand Prix.
“I’m really confident heading to Manfeild. Last year we had really good pace and this year we have shown that we are just as quick. We have a number of strategies in place for the final round which I’m really looking forward to.”
ENDS
Results.-
Castrol Toyota Racing Series, Round 4, 20 laps, Denny Hulme Trophy, Bruce McLaren Motorsport Park, Taupo – (Race 3)
1, Marcus Armstrong (Christchurch);
2, Jehan Daruvala (India);
3, Ferdinand Habsburg (Austria);
4, Thomas Randle (Australia);
5, Pedro Piquet (Brazil);
6, Taylor Cockerton (Pukekohe);
7, Richard Verschoor (Netherlands);
8, Brendon Leitch (Invercargill);
9, Kami Laliberte (Canada);
10, Harry Hayek (Australia).
Race 2 (15 laps) – Top 10
1, Pedro Piquet (Brazil);
2, Thomas Randle (Australia);
3, Jehan Daruvala (India)
4, Marcus Armstrong (Christchurch)
5, Brendon Leitch (Invercargill);
6, Richard Verschoor (Netherlands);
7, Enaam Ahmed (England);
8, Luis Leeds (Australia);
9, Thomas Neubauer (France);
10, Keyvan Andres (USA).
And
15 Taylor Cockerton
Series points.-
1, Randle, 692;
2, Verschoor, 665;
3, Piquet, 661;
4, Armstrong, 598;
5, Daruvala, 597;
6, Enaam Ahmed (England), 496;
7, Leitch, 463;
8, Cockerton, 450;
9, Laliberte, 443;
10, Habsburg, 422.
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