A new lap record wasn’t enough for Mitch Evans to prevent Earl Bamber closing down the gap in the 2010 Toyota Racing Series in the opening race of the final round at Taupo today.

Bamber started from pole position, narrowly fended off a first corner challenge from Evans and then controlled the gap thoughout the 12 laps to win by 0.6s from his younger rival.

It was Bamber’s fourth win of the season and brought the 19-year-old from Wanganui within 26pts of Evans who has won three races this year – but none of the last six.

In contrast, Bamber’s victory at Taupo today came straight on top of his win in the New Zealand Grand Prix at Manfeild. It was Bamber’s 14th win in TRS since 2007 and reduced his deficit to Evans by 8pts.

However, Evans’ consistency throughout the season may well pay off in the two races that complete the season tomorrow.

After today’s 13th race of the 2010 season Evans has 788pts while Bamber is now on 762pts – a gap of just 26pts.

The points difference between first and second place in New Zealand’s premier single seater series is just 8pts; while the difference between second and third is just 7pts.

No other driver is still in contention for the coveted title so Evans could take the TRS title by finishing second to his rival in both tomorrow’s races.

Upsetting that calculation could well be the starting format for tomorrow’s final race. The finishing order in the 20-lap Denny Hulme Memorial Race in the morning will determine the grid for the 16th and final race of the season – where the top six line up in reverse order.

Today’s opening race at Taupo was all down to the start. Bamber had upstaged Evans during the morning qualifying, setting a stunning pole time that denied Evans the top spot for the first time all season.

Evans, starting from the outside of the front row ( on the grid that arguably gives a better line into the first left handed sweeper) looked to have got away better, until Bamber quickly recovered.

“It wasn’t a good start for me,” said Bamber. “ I was worried about creeping forwards and then had to raise the revs to get off the line. Mitch came across hard but it was fair”

Bamber had to put a wheel into the dust on the inside line but held his nerve and took the corner in a typically well-judged move.

“Mitch kept the pressure up but I was trying to conserve my tyres for the Sunday races. The balance wasn’t quite as good as it had been in qualifying – I wasn’t as fast as Mitch -but I knew I had enough to win.”

Having lost the start, Evans kept up the pressure all the way, the gap fluctuating between two and five car lengths. At half distance he out braked himself and went too deep into the tight chicane at the end of the long straight. After that he settled for a safe second.

I didn’t need to pass him and I wasn’t going to do anything stupid.”

Evans and Bamber both bettered the old lap record, Evans taking it down to 1m 24.58s on his penultimate lap. That was nearly half a second under the 2008 TRS lap record.

Behind the two title contenders, Sam MacNeill ( Palmerston North) ran a solid third but was 8.8s behind. Jamie McNee (Wellington) scored his best result of the season with a steady fourth. Andrew Waite (Auckland finished fifth, mindful of maintaining his third placing in the overall series.

Alastair Wootten (Whangaparoa) was sixth while Stefan Webling (Taranaki) completed the finishers, in spite of bending a steering arm when he rode over a kerb. The only retirement was Daniel Jileson (Taumaranui) who stopped on the warm up lap with gear box problems. He rejoined at the back of the field only to retired with more gearbox issues after 7 laps.

With Bamber winning today’s race and Jilesen non finishing, the Team Championship now has just one point separating Giles Motorsport (1317pts) and ETEC (1316pts) with Triple X Motorsport third on 1252pts.

Media: Murray Taylor