Wood flies into Formula Regional Oceania title contention in Taupō

Walkinshaw TWG Racing star Ryan Wood has emerged as a title contender for this year's Castrol Toyota Formula Regional Oceania Trophy after a second win in as many days at Taupō.

After winning from a maiden pole position on Saturday, Wood backed it up with a commanding drive on Sunday.

Starting second, Wood launched off the line and rounded up pole-sitter Jack Taylor through Turn 1.

From there, Wood led every lap to clinch his second win of the weekend, leading home Kanato Le, Louis Sharp and points leader Ugo Ugochukwu to win the Denny Hulme Memorial Trophy.

Earlier in the day, Wood finished third in Race 3 behind countryman Zack Scoular and Briton Freddie Slater. He also finished fifth in Saturday afternoon's Race 2, which was won by Aussie James Wharton.

Heading to next weekend's penultimate round at Teretonga, Wood is fifth, 42 points behind Ugochukwu with 215 points remaining across the final seven races.

It continues a strong fightback for Wood, who after being an innocent bystander in a multi-car accident at Hampton Downs last weekend, was 72 points behind Ugochukwu after Round 1.

"It honestly means the world," said Wood post-race.

"When I was little, I won the Denny Hulme Certificate, I still have it, we were looking at it the other week.

"To win that today is really special. I feel humbled to be in this position, I can't thank the guys and girls at mtec enough, all my sponsors, it's just fantastic in front of so many people who have played such an influential part of my career.

"Full focus is on Teretonga and Highlands, I feel like we're building."

The New Zealander will contest races at Teretonga and Highlands across the next two weekends before commencing his new Supercars campaign on February 20-22 in Sydney.