Photo: TCR New Zealand

Hayden Paddon snares pole position in TCR New Zealand premiere

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Former WRC driver Hayden Paddon has claimed pole position for the inaugural TCR New Zealand race weekend at Highlands Motorsport Park.

The Paddon Rallysport Group headed a Hyundai 1-2-3 with Jaden Ransley in second place, 0.286 seconds behind, and Gene Rollinson in third, 0.317 seconds behind.

“It was a good session, still got a lot more in it yet but a good way to start the weekend,” said Paddon.

“It’s all very close, there’s only a second between all the TCR cars, which is the whole spirit of TCR. It’s anyone’s game.”

Fastest of the non-Hyundai drivers was Jordan Michels behind the wheel of his Team Williams Racing-prepared Honda Civic Type-R TCR, six tenths from Paddon’s pole time.

Former V8 Supercars legend Greg Murphy was fifth fastest for Track Tek Racing, lapping the Highlands Motorsport Park in 1:13.092, just 0.061 seconds behind Michels.

Murphy’s team-mates Chris van der Drift and Lochlainn Fitzgerald-Symes claimed grid positions six and seven, while former touring car world champion Paul Radisich was eighth and last, 1.1 seconds from pole.

The first of three races starts at 09:00 local time tomorrow.