Wood claims emotional Toyota breakthrough, JR Trophy lead

Ryan Wood has claimed an emotional breakthrough for Toyota, winning their first Supercars race in Race 9 at the ITM Taupō Super 440.

After claiming Toyota's first pole position earlier in the day, Wood was dominant throughout the majority of the 200km race, but had to fight late as strategy went against him.

The win also means that Wood provisionally leads the Jason Richards Memorial Trophy standings heading into the four-race event at Christchurch next weekend.

Wood converted beautifully from pole position, and left Brown taking the high line into the first corner, as the field got through the opening lap incident-free, save for David Reynolds dipping two wheels into the dirt at Turn 9.

The Kiwi was well in control in the opening phases, however Brown set the fastest lap of the race to that point on Lap 5, and remained well within a second of the Toyota throughout.

For the second time in three rounds, both the 2024 champion and his teammate Broc Feeney both dealt with cool suit issues in the opening 10 laps, boding for a tougher afternoon in the office than they would've liked.

Defending Jason Richards Memorial Trophy winner Matt Payne was also slowly working his way forward after starting eighth, and climbed over Chaz Mostert for fifth on Lap 9 at Turn 1.

Despite his cool suit dramas, Brown was slowly closing on Wood in the lead, and had gapped Feeney, who found himself coming under attack from Race 8 winner Brodie Kostecki.

By the end of Lap 11, Brown was all over the rear of the #2 Toyota, with Wood forced to defend into Turn 5 as Brown bombed over the kerb at Turn 4.

On Lap 14, Brown attempted an impromptu move at Turn 9, and that brought Feeney right into the mix, with Kostecki and Payne not far behind.

Payne made his first stop at the end of Lap 15 looking for the undercut on the leading foursome, whilst Wood would see off Brown's advances and stretch out his lead before he made his first stop.

Brown fired into pit lane from second at the end of Lap 19, with Feeney close to running up the rear of his teammate as he dived off line into the lane, covering off the undercut threat from Payne.

Wood made his first stop on Lap 21 after Brown worked his way through slower traffic, and comfortably had Brown cleared as he rejoined in the effective race lead.

Whilst he was caught up behind Wood and Brown, Feeney was able to conserve fuel, and stayed out right up until Lap 24 when he came in, whilst Kostecki continued on.

However, Feeney was baulked heavily by Kai Allen as he waited to rejoin, which dropped him way back from effective third before his stop to effective sixth.

It wouldn't be until the end of Lap 28 that Kostecki pitted after a giant first stint, by far the longest first stint of anyone, though would initially be hurt by the long stint as he rejoined in seventh behind Anton De Pasquale.

That left Wood at the head of the field with a 1.6s lead, which he immediately expanded with a personal best lap once he got back into the outright lead.

Both Walkinshaw TWG Racing Toyotas looked strong in the middle stint, Mostert moving up into third as he blazed by Payne just prior to halfway.

Mostert made his final stop on Lap 41, as he began to range up on to the back of Brown in second, the first of the leaders to clear their two compulsory stops.

Brown reacted the following time by with Mostert a serious chance of undercutting the #888 Ford, however Matt Payne baulked the #88 as he came in for his final stop, costing Brown precious seconds.

Wood made his final stop on Lap 43, but Mostert put together a blistering in and out lap to jump ahead and into the effective race lead in a bizarre twist.

Feeney made his last stop on Lap 44 and exited ahead of Brown, however a bobble into Turn 2 saw all of his hard work undone, and put Brown back ahead.

To add a further complication, sprinkles of rain began to appear, with a large chunk of the field flicking their wipers on, but no one diving in for wet tyres.

Kostecki then made his final stop with 12 laps to go, leaving two pairs of duelling teammates at the head of the field, Mostert fending off a closing Wood for the lead, and Brown running wide at Turn 11 and allowing Feeney back into third.

With nine laps remaining, Wood closed to within half a second of Mostert, and was fired up having lost the lead from a dominant position.

With eight laps to go, the Kiwis were sent into raptures as Wood fired won the inside at Turn 1 to little resistance from his teammate, who immediately jumped on the radio to say he would 'protect the win' for his teammate.

That would soon be put to the test, as he began to fall away from Wood and into the clutches of the #88 Ford, who broke the lap record in his quest to chase the win.

Feeney forced his way down the inside at Turn 2 with three laps to go, and despite Mostert all but driving him off the road at Turn 3, made the move stick, however he lost more than two seconds in the process.

That left Wood home and hosed, claiming an emotional and historic victory, with Feeney pulling clear of Mostert to round out the podium.

The 2026 Repco Supercars Championship continues next weekend at the ITM Christchurch Super 440.