Points on the Board for Joblin

The second round of the New Zealand Production Racng Series held at Powerbuilt International Raceway over the weekend was a productive one for Hamilton driver Mark Joblin in the Classic Cover Insurance Skyline 350GT.

Taking his second haul of maximum points for the Class C category in as many meetings he wishes to see some new drivers join in the competition after Christmas but pleased to take the points advantage while he can.

Currently running solo in his class, Joblin is getting ahead of new entries which are expected in the new year when the series continues at Teretonga Park Invercargill mid-January.

However Joblin has been able to indulge in some good battles with a couple of drivers from the Class B, the latest combatant being Mike Richards.

"We are still hearing rumblings of more NZPRS cars being prepared so as to run in the series in the new year; at the weekend we had some good races with the Richards Class B Honda Integra now being driven very capably by Wally Richards' son Mike." said Joblin.

The previous season saw some good close racing between Joblin in the Nissan and veteran driver from the north Wally Richards who is taking a break this year letting his son loose behind the wheel.

This weekend Joblin took three class wins due to the format of the NZPRS and his overall placings from the three races were 7th, 7th and 6th beating Mike Richards in the final race of the weekend.

The days leading up to the weekend began smoothly for Jobin as he transported the race car south, stopping in to Chequered Flag in Petone for a check up on the tuning of the Skyline before crossing the Cook Strait.

Leaving the tuning specialists to make the short trip to the inter-island car ferry on Wednesday morning, all went awry when the race car's trailer broke a spring, prompting a rescue by the AA followed by repairs at a local engineering firm.

He and the car finally made the 6.30pm inter-island sailing meeting up with the Marlin Motorsport crew, aka 'Dad's Army', at the Ruapuna circuit late on Thursday afternoon.

"Corporal Norquay and Private Howarth were there to assist with the setting up of camp for the weekend." quipped Captain Joblin.

With the tiresome battle of transporting the race car to the South Island circuit over, attention then turned to a war on the wet conditions of Saturday where Joblin had to be very tentative with the 3500cc race car on a very tricky Ruapuna circuit through qualifying and the opening race of the weekend.

"In the first race on Saturday afternoon just staying on the track became a real challenge, the NZPRS do not run 'wet' tyres and coping with the Nissan's power even with a gentle touch was very hard on the driver's frazzled nerves." he said.

"Sunday dawned clear and the two races were sucessfully negotiated with some close battles being held with Mike Richards which ended with honours being evenly split."

"The outcome for the weekend was another very satisfying Class C max points haul which now sees the team with a stranglehold on Class C honours; plus we are leading the overall NZPRS championship on equal aggregate points with Steve Taylor in the Class B Civic Type R and Craig Innes in the Class D factory Mazda MP3 turbo." said Joblin.

The Classic Cover Insurance Skyline 350GT has remained in the South Island in preparation for the next two rounds.

Next up after the Christmas break and in the new year is Invercargill's Teretonga Park on the 16-17th January which is followed immediately by Round Three at Timaru International Motor Raceway on the 23-24th January 2010.