Toby McCormack has topped the Formula First class of the Manawatu Car Club’s Manfeild Winter Series in 2022. Held across four rounds on the first weekends of June, July, August and September at Feilding’s Manfeild Circuit Chris Amon, the Manfeild Winter Series has become the de facto pre-season series for the Hi-Q Components NZ Formula First Championship.
McCormack Jr, who raced alongside his father Paul, beat seasoned campaigners such as former 3NZ Brody McConkey and former national champion Craig Greenwood. On his was to a 76-point win, McCormack notched up five race wins and an additional two podium finishes across the shortened nine-race series after the second round was cancelled. Even more impressive was McCormack’s five wins all came in succession from the final race of round one to the opening race of round four.
Finishing up in second place was Brody McConkey. McConkey returned to Sabre Motorsport for the 2022 Winter Series to help develop and validate the team’s car set-up in preparation for the 2022-23 Hi-QComponents NZ Formula First Championship. This proved a valuable exercise, proving Sabre Motorsport has a package to race at the front, securing two wins and four additional podium during the series.
In third place for the series was Paul McCormack, finishing 114 points behind his son, Toby. McCormack Sr showed he has the pace to duke it out with the young guns, taking five second-place finishes across the winter.
Proving consistency is key was series newcomer Harry Scott, young brother of championship regular Leo. Scott finished fourth overall with a raft of top five finishes. Rounding out the top five for the Winter Series was another newcomer in Reagan Edwards who scored four third-place podium finishes but was ultimately let down by a DNF and two subsequent DNS results in the penultimate round.
After a cold pre-season of racing, the 2022-23 Hi-Q Components NZ Formula First Championship gets underway at Manfeild Circuit Chris Amon on 21-23 October. Reigning champ Chris Symon is back to defend his crown, will someone step up or with the school principal make it three in a row?