Motorsport: Cassidy in splendid form at V8s

Jonathan Webb set a sizzling qualifying time for Sunday's Taupo 400 V8 SuperTourers endurance round. Photo / Supplied

As the dust settled at the end of the first of the V8 SuperTourer endurance races at Taupo, honours were shared between more established Australian V8 Supercar drivers and a New Zealand lad.

After the sprint rounds earlier in the year it was time to share driver duties on race day, and the surprise package of Kiwi Nick Cassidy and Aussie Jack Perkins won race one from Scott McLaughlin and Jonathan Webb.

The pair backed that result up with another great drive in race two to finish second behind V8SC Development Series pilot McLaughlin and regular main game driver Webb.

"Right from the first lap in practice I was right on it," said a delighted Cassidy. "After that it made it a lot easier to progress into the weekend, and together with Jack [Perkins] we qualified pretty well.

"I've spent most of my time in open wheelers but at the end of the day it's just another race car [V8 SuperTourers]. Don't forget I raced speedway and I'm still young and adaptable - it's not something I'm used to, but it's a good challenge."

In race two, Cassidy got shunted in the opening corners sustaining exhaust damage and losing power.

Although the two pairings ended up on the same points at the end of the weekend, due to the somewhat complicated system employed, McLaughlin and Webb were announced as the inaugural winners of the Ashley Stichbury trophy.

Former New Zealand V8 champion John McIntyre with co-driver Jono Lester rounded out the podium finishes in third for both races with Richard Moore and Nascar Nationwide stand-in driver Owen Kelly finishing fourth on both occasions.

The V8s now head north to Pukekohe for the second enduro round on October 26-28.