PremiAir Racing has wrapped up an intense opening day at the Taupō Super 440 – round three of the 2026 Supercars Championship – with a productive pair of back-to-back practice sessions that delivered both valuable data and a late-session statement for the PremiAir Racing Camaros.
Practice One opened under cool, cloudy skies, with Jayden “Juice” Ojeda and Declan Fraser using the early laps to build tyre temperature and settle into the Taupō layout in the #31 and #777 Camaros. Five solid laps were banked before both cars returned to the garage for tyre bleeds and run-plan tweaks.
A final push in the closing minutes saw both drivers head back out to maximise the session, with Declan finishing P18 and Juice P19 as the chequered flag fell.
With only 15 minutes between practice one and practice two, the crew immediately switched into turnaround mode to get both cars refuelled and prepped ready to roll back out.
Strong and steady opening laps were followed by setup changes for both the #31 and #777, with the pair returning to the track with seven minutes to go.
It was at this point that qualifying simulations began to be punched out by the field with PremiAir Racing leading the way as Juice jumped to the top while Fraser slotted into P2 in a strong late-session surge.
A quick tyre stop set up one final run before both drivers completed start practice to close out the day, giving the team a deep bank of information heading into Saturday.
With plenty learned across both sessions, the focus now shifts to fine-tuning overnight as the team prepares for qualifying tomorrow.
With the developing situation around Tropical Cyclone Vaianu, which is threatening to bring cyclonic conditions to the region on Sunday, Supercars has this afternoon announced a change to the remaining event schedule.
Saturday will now host an extended Race 9 and all Saturday race sessions will be moved forward by 30 minutes. Qualifying for races 8 and 9 will be held at 10.15am and 11.10am, the 120km Race 8 will begin at 12.20pm, and the 200km Race 9 will begin at 3.30pm. Sunday loses the Top Ten Shootout, with qualifying for race 10 at 8.00am and Sunday’s race at 9.45am. For the latest scheduling news, visit www.supercars.com
For exclusive team insights and updates as well as live session coverage as the weekend unfolds, be sure to keep a close eye on the PremiAir Racing WhatsApp Channel, which is proudly presented by Air & Allied Sales. To join, visit https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaEGGiJ2kNFlJu5eeo1H
QUOTEBOARD: TAUPŌ SUPER 440 – FRIDAY 10 APRIL 2026
Jayden Ojeda – #31 PremiAir Racing Camaro
“It was a really productive day for us. We used that first session to settle into the track and work through our run plan, and then made some good changes going into Practice 2.
The car felt strong when we put the tyre on for the quali sim, which was encouraging, and to jump up the order late in the session shows we’re heading in the right direction.
There’s still a few things to tidy up, but we’ve got a good base now and plenty of data to go through tonight. The focus is on fine-tuning and making sure we’re in a good spot for qualifying tomorrow.”
Declan Fraser – #777 PremiAir Racing Camaro
“It was a solid start to the weekend. Practice 1 was about getting comfortable with the track and building into it, and then we made some changes for the second session which definitely helped.
The car came alive a bit more on the new tyre, and to be up the front in that final run was a nice step forward for us. It shows the potential we’ve got when everything comes together.
There’s still more to find, but we’ve got a clear direction now. We’ll go through everything tonight and come back ready to have a good crack in qualifying.”
Stay in the loop with PremiAir Racing all weekend long! Get live race coverage and exclusive team updates via our WhatsApp Channel, proudly powered by Air & Allied Sales.
👉 Join now: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaEGGiJ2kNFlJu5eeo1H
For more information on PremiAir Racing, please visit www.premiairracing.com or follow the team on its social media platforms at www.facebook.com/PremiAirRacing/, www.instagram.com/premiair_racing/, www.linkedin.com/company/premiairracing/ and www.x.com/premiairracing