The Trans Tasman V8 Ute Test Series is set for an epic showdown on the streets of Hamilton tomorrow morning. The hotly contested series is all tied up after the opening two "test matches" today.

Honours were shared today and Trans Tasman pride is now hanging on the outcome of tomorrow mornings third and final race over 14 laps. The first two races produced some pulsating racing around the demanding 3.4 kilometre Hamilton Street circuit.

New Zealand Champion Chris Pither 'The Doctor' in his ENZED Falcon and Kim 'The Assassin' Jane in his Bob Jane T-Marts Commodore shared the wins after being the two fastest qualifiers yesterday. Pither had pole for the opening test match this morning but it was Jane who got the jump and led away. Pither 'The Doctor' then stalked 'The Assassin' over the early laps before making his move and taking the lead. However Jane was back in front soon after as Pither struggled to find a gear into Turn 1. Once past Jane held the lead to the finish taking the test match for Australia from Pither. Australian Charlie 'Handlebars' Kovacs was third in his Wilson Security Commodore ahead of Simon 'Junior Burner' Beirne who was fourth for New Zealand in his Team McDonald's Falcon.

New Zealander Colin 'Crusha' Corkery was next in his Supercharge Batteries Commodore  ahead of Australian Robert 'Captain' Jarvis (BVC Racing Ford) followed by kiwi Matty 'The Phantom' Lockwood (Styrofit Underfloor Insulation Commodore). Next up were Aussie Allan 'King Al' Letcher (WA Lifting Equipment Holden) and another of the kiwis, Graham 'Snr Burner' Beirne (John Jones Steel Falcon).

Australia also clinched the lap record when Jane set the fastest lap of the race, a time of 1 minute 41.0700. 

This afternoons second test match was even more torrid with plenty of door to door battles throughout the field. Jane had pole for the second test and took the lead from the start with Pither again hounding him. After a short safety car period the battle resumed with Pither eventually getting by after a move that lasted several corners.

Pither took the race to even the score for the kiwis, setting up a no holds barred decider tomorrow morning. Jane was second, meaning he and Pither are equal in the drivers points also.

Simon 'Jnr Burner' Beirne took third after a fantastic drive after he was shuffled back to fifth in the early exchanges. However he drove well to get back to third ahead of Jarvis, Corkery and former New Zealand Champion Lockwood, frustrated by a lack of speed after testing well.

Kovacs, the defending Trans Tasman Champion jumped the start and the resulting penalty dropped him to 18th while Letcher touched the wall on the front straight, damaging his suspension early on. Graham 'Snr Burner' Beirne was shunted from behind and turned around recovering to 16th.

Warren 'Wakeup' Millet was back on track today in his Wakeup Backpackers Commodore after a heavy accident yesterday, working his way back as high as 11th in the second race.

The all important decider takes place over 14 laps at 10.20am on Sunday morning.


TEST MATCH 2

1    90  ENZED - Chris Pither (NZ) Ford  Falcon BF XR8 10    19:26.6790   6 1:41.5746*
2    27  Bob Jane T-Marts - Kim Jane (AUS) Holden Commodore SS 10    19:27.1495   8 1:41.8232
3     2  Team McDonalds - Simon Beirne (NZ) Ford Falcon 10    19:40.0119   6 1:43.2629
4    17  BVC RACING - Robert Jarvis (AUS) Ford Falcon XR8 10    19:43.6958   7 1:43.5514
5    66  Colin Corkery - Colin Corkery (NZ) Holden Commodore 10    19:43.9712   7 1:43.4890
6     7  Matthew Lockwood - Matthew Lockwood (NZ) Holden Commodore 10    19:45.2563   7 1:43.5691
7    19  Houselevellers - Simon Grace (NZ) Holden Commodore VZ 10 19:46.4194   7 1:44.0543
8    55  Vittoria Coffee - George Elliot (AUS) Holden Commodore SS 10    19:54.2951   9 1:44.7784
9    22  TWL, Transport Wholesale - Geoff Spencer (NZ) Holden Commodore SS 10    19:56.0168   7 1:45.0022
10   44  Grove Juice Racing - Greg Willis (AUS) Ford Falcon XR8 10    19:56.5667   9 1:45.1635
11   88  Wake Up Backpackers Racing - Warren Millett (AUS) Holden Commodore SS 10    20:05.3014   9 1:46.8658
12   68  Fleet Australasia - Peter Robb (NZ) Holden Commodore SS 10    20:05.9080  10 1:46.6144
13   10  Kernohan Contractors - David Kernohan (NZ) Ford Falcon 10    20:06.6265  10 1:46.4230
14   69  Ward Demolition - Peter Ward (NZ) Holden Commodore 10    20:07.7359   9 1:46.7120
15   21  Energy Oil - Jeff Kernohan (AUS) Ford Falcon XR8 10    20:09.2232   7 1:46.5668
16   85  John Jones Steel - Graham Beirne (NZ) Ford Falcon BF 10    20:23.8557   9 1:44.2515
17   45  Wildcard Racing - James Urquhart (NZ) Holden Commodore VE 10    21:06.1086   6 1:45.3389
18    1  Wilson Security - Charlie Kovacs (AUS) Holden Commodore SS 9    19:45.0571   8 1:44.2298
DNF  16  WA Lifting Equipment - Allan Letcher (AUS) Holden Commodore SS 1     1:53.3384

TEST MATCH 1

1    27  Bob Jane T-Marts - Kim Jane (AUS) Holden Commodore SS 10 17:03.5847   9 1:41.0700R
2    90  ENZED - Chris Pither (NZ) Ford  Falcon BF XR8 10 17:04.2872   8 1:41.5503
3     1  Wilson Security - Charlie Kovacs (AUS) Holden Commodore SS 10    17:11.5199   4 1:41.8961
4     2  Team McDonalds - Simon Beirne (NZ) Ford Falcon 10    17:13.2523   9 1:41.6761
5    66  Colin Corkery - Colin Corkery (NZ) Holden Commodore 10    17:14.5996   9 1:42.0761
6    17  BVC RACING - Robert Jarvis (AUS) Ford Falcon XR8 10    17:26.2453   8 1:43.6061
7     7  Matthew Lockwood - Matthew Lockwood (NZ) Holden Commodore 10    17:27.2996   6 1:43.4582
8    16  WA Lifting Equipment - Allan Letcher (AUS) Holden Commodore SS 10    17:43.3152   7 1:44.7079
9    85  John Jones Steel - Graham Beirne (NZ) Ford Falcon BF 10    17:43.4706   9 1:44.2883
10   55  Vittoria Coffee - George Elliot (AUS) Holden Commodore SS 10    17:46.2622   7 1:44.9486
11   19  Houselevellers - Simon Grace (NZ) Holden Commodore VZ 10    17:46.7170   3 1:44.7513
12   22  TWL, Transport Wholesale - Geoff Spencer (NZ) Holden Commodore SS 10    17:47.6664   9 1:45.0926
13   68  Fleet Australasia - Peter Robb (NZ) Holden Commodore SS 10    18:02.1197   7 1:45.8211
14   45  Wildcard Racing -  James Urquhart (NZ) Holden Commodore VE 10    18:02.2522   9 1:46.0699
15   21  Energy Oil - Jeff Kernohan (AUS) Ford Falcon XR8 10    18:03.3937   9 1:46.1883
16   10  Kernohan Contractors - David Kernohan (NZ) Ford Falcon 10    18:06.3040   9 1:46.1755
17   69  Ward Demolition - Peter Ward (NZ) Holden Commodore 10    18:14.0326   5 1:45.9387
18   88  Wake Up Backpackers Racing - Warren Millett (AUS) Holden Commodore SS 10    18:26.2407   4 1:46.1272
19   44  Grove Juice Racing - Greg Willis (AUS) Ford Falcon XR8 9   18:02.9424 3 1:44.7656

QUALIFYING

1    90  ENZED - Chris Pither (NZ) Ford  Falcon BF XR8 1:40.9488*
2    27  Bob Jane T-Marts - Kim Jane (AUS) Holden Commodore SS 1:41.2260
3    66  Colin Corkery - Colin Corkery (NZ) Holden Commodore 1:42.8087
4     1  Wilson Security - Charlie Kovacs (AUS) Holden Commodore SS 1:42.8585
5     2  Team McDonalds - Simon Beirne (NZ) Ford Falcon 1:43.5830
6     7  Matthew Lockwood - Matthew Lockwood (NZ) Holden Commodore 1:43.7360
7    85  John Jones Steel - Graham Beirne (NZ) Ford Falcon BF 1:44.5857
8    55  Vittoria Coffee - George Elliot (AUS) Holden Commodore SS 1:44.7504
9    17  BVC RACING - Robert Jarvis (AUS) Ford Falcon XR8 1:45.0284
10   22  TWL, Transport Wholesale - Geoff Spencer (NZ) Holden Commodore SS 1:45.0944
11   16  WA Lifting Equipment - Allan Letcher (AUS) Holden Commodore SS 1:45.1305
12   19  Houselevellers - Simon Grace (NZ) Holden Commodore VZ 1:45.1759
13   44  Grove Juice Racing - Greg Willis (AUS) Ford Falcon XR8 1:45.3993
14   45  Wildcard Racing - James Urquhart (NZ) Holden Commodore VE 1:45.9930
15   68  Fleet Australasia - Peter Robb (NZ) Holden Commodore SS 1:46.2320
16   21  Energy Oil - Jeff Kernohan (AUS) Ford Falcon XR8 1:46.6852
17   10  Kernohan Contractors - David Kernohan (NZ) Ford Falcon 1:47.6217
18   69  Ward Demolition - Peter Ward (NZ) Holden Commodore 1:49.1417

TESTING

1    90  ENZED - Chris Pither (NZ) Ford  Falcon BF XR8 1:42.8658*
2    27  Bob Jane T-Marts - Kim Jane (AUS) Holden Commodore SS 1:43.5094
3    66  Colin Corkery - Colin Corkery (NZ) Holden Commodore 1:44.5450
4     1  Wilson Security - Charlie Kovacs (AUS) Holden Commodore SS 1:44.5876
5     7  Matthew Lockwood - Matthew Lockwood (NZ) Holden Commodore 1:44.8434
6    16  WA Lifting Equipment - Allan Letcher (AUS) Holden Commodore SS 1:45.5858
7    17  BVC RACING - Robert Jarvis (AUS) Ford Falcon XR8 1:45.7078 
8   19  Houselevellers - Simon Grace (NZ) Holden Commodore VZ 1:46.1966
9     2  Team McDonalds - Simon Beirne (NZ) Ford Falcon 1:46.2544
10   85  John Jones Steel - Graham Beirne (NZ) Ford Falcon BF 1:46.2781
11   44  Grove Juice Racing - Greg Willis (AUS) Ford Falcon XR8 1:46.4888
12   55  Vittoria Coffee - George Elliot (AUS) Holden Commodore SS 1:47.1496
13   88  Wake Up Backpackers Racing - Warren Millett (AUS) Holden Commodore SS 1:47.5328
14   22  TWL, Transport Wholesale - Geoff Spencer (NZ) Holden Commodore SS 1:47.9468
15   68  Fleet Australasia - Peter Robb (NZ) Holden Commodore SS 1:48.1516
16   10  Kernohan Contractors - David Kernohan (NZ) Ford Falcon 1:48.7019
17   21  Energy Oil - Jeff Kernohan (AUS) Ford Falcon XR8 1:49.3398
18   69  Ward Demolition - Peter Ward (NZ) Holden Commodore 1:49.7722
19   45  Wildcard Racing - James Urquhart (NZ) Holden Commodore VE 150.9654