Evans takes title and Hulme Trophy
Evans (centre) took out the Denny Hulme trophy from McNee (left) and Foster
Mitch Evans will head to Europe for this year’s GP3 Series with the 2011 Toyota Racing Series crown on his resume.
The 16-year-old wrapped up the title at today’s finale at Taupo, despite retiring from Race 1 after a rare error.
Evans had been leading Saturday’s opener when he misjudged the final chicane and broke his front wing on a corner marker.
While the mistake allowed fellow 16-year-old Kiwi Nick Cassidy to take his first win in the class, Evans made amends on Sunday, winning the Denny Hulme Memorial Trophy feature race.
The reverse top-six Race 3 saw Cassidy take his second win in as many days, with Alastair Wootten second and Evans third.
With the category’s strong line-up of international drivers having left following the final round of the International Series at Manfield, just eight cars contested the Taupo races.
Cassidy made it a Giles Motorsport 1-2 in the series, finishing comfortably ahead of Jamie McNee, who took second in the Denny Hulme Trophy race.
Australian Formula Ford star Nick Foster was second, third and fifth in the three races at Taupo to end the season 10th overall.
The Taupo event also featured the final round of the 2010/2011 Crown Lift Trucks Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge.
Former V8 Supercars driver Daniel Gaunt took the series in style by winning the final race, after the opening two had fallen to title rival Craig Baird.
Gaunt will drive a Porsche 911 GT3 Cup S next weekend on the streets of Adelaide, sharing Dean Grant’s entry in the opening round of the 2011 VodkaO Australian GT Championship.