Former A1GP racer Matt Halliday and veteran Kiwi Andrew Bagnall set the fastest time in a wet opening practice session for the Laser Plumbing & Electrical Hampton Downs 500 on Friday.
The Audi pair recorded a fastest time of 1:41.564s in a session that was stopped three times due to cars running off the road or stopping on the track.
Halliday, who made a name for himself in Indy Lights, lives in the United States these days and only flew into New Zealand this morning, making his fastest lap even more impressive.
It is the first time the 38-year-old has raced in New Zealand in eight years.
Fellow Kiwi Dominic Storey was second fastest with a lap of 1:42.885s in his Egglestone Motorsport Mercedes while the Ferrari of Gene Rollinson and Andrew Fawcett was third quickest in the hour-long session.
