Home track advantage counted for nothing as Whanganui drivers failed to place in all three groups of the Altherm Window Systems New Zealand Jetsprint Championship on Wednesday.
But it was a day for defending champions and the new season's frontrunners further cemented their names at the top of the pecking order.
Along with Peter Caughey backing up his opening round win in the MouthFresh Superboats ahead of Ted Sygidus and Nick Berryman, defending champion Ollie Silverton went back to back in the Fowler Homes Group A.
Silverton qualified top by almost three seconds and went through the elimination phase with ease meaning the Waikato driver retains his group lead after two rounds.
Third in Wanaka in November, Canterbury's Simon Gibbon went one better to finish runner-up in Whanganui after posting the third-fastest qualifying time.