New Race Car For Classic Driver in Production Series

Hamilton businessman Mark Joblin took to the track at Taupo Motorsport Park with a large smile on his face as he put a brand new race car to the ultimate test last weekend.

Over the off season and in the last remaining days before the opening round of the tier one summer series, Ron Koopman and Hairy Dog Race Cars have been preparing the Classic Cover Insurance Skyline 350GT for the 2008-9 Suzuki New Zealand Production Racing Series.

Although the series strictly controls what can and can't be done to the race cars the Nissan was taken directly from the showroom to the workshop where it was completely stripped and rebuilt from the ground up into a fully fledged race car.

After it was expertly put together by Hairy Dog a trip to The Chequered Flag in Wellington for a top notch race tune transformed the Nissan into a production series contender.

The car was tested prior to the race weekend on the Taupo circuit but the all important measuring of it's prowess was under racing conditions against the other contenders at the opening round of the series.

"The car was very good and especially in the wet conditions we had over the weekend. In the old car I would have been suffering a lot of wheel spin but with the Skyline's traction control and abs system I had absolutely no trouble with grip on the circuit. Ron has built me a very good race car" said Mark Joblin.

With the new Skyline 350GT Joblin finds himself mixing in with the Mazda 3 MPS cars which were introduced last year with 2006-7 champion Dale Williams at the wheel.

This year Gene Rollinson has taken over the reins from Williams and is expected to be mostly untouchable in the 1601 to 3500cc class but will need to watch out with two other MPS cars introduced into the mix.

Mark Joblin with his Nissan Skyline GT350 offers a very strong alternative to the Mazdas, a factor which has not been missed by some and other drivers watch intently to see for themselves how the new package shapes up.

Over the weekend Joblin was on a similar pace to the Honda Integras on the Taupo circuit and spent most of the weekend dueling with friend Wally Richards who at 73 is still happy to fight it out with Joblin as they try and keep the young up and comers from the Suzuki Swift class behind them.

With round one being his first time in the car there is certainly more potential for more speed from the Hamilton driver as he finds out just what the car can and can't do.

Plus with the support of his crew affectionately named "Dad's Army" the next round at the high speed circuit at Pukekohe will be an opportunity to get more out of the car.

Last year was Mark Joblin's first attempt at a full season in the national championship although he has been competing in historic racing lately and has held a racing licence for more years than some of his competitors have completed hot laps!

“I first got a competition licence in 1967 which was well before many of the other competitors were even born and although I absolutely love historic racing I had always dreamed of doing a full National Championship Series. The NZ Production Racing Championship seemed like the perfect thing.” said Joblin.

His first season was in a Mazda RX8 and although he regarded it as a great little car he knows he is not one of the smallest competitors on the track and as the class allows for up to 3500cc in a normally aspirated car he felt the Nissan Skyline 350GT was the perfect match for his frame.

“They say there’s’ no substitute for Cubic inches, I sure as hell hope they’re right!” he says.

The next round is at Pukekohe Park Raceway on the 7-9th November 2008.

Mark Joblin and Classic Cover Insurance acknowledge and thank the following for their sponsorship and support;

**Arundel Finance**Colourworx**Brian Tunnicliffe Nissan**Kings Cars Ltd, Hamilton**Apex Auto Services Ltd**
**Scarlett Fog**Arai Helmets**Chicane Racewear**The Chequered Flag, Wellington**Waikato Signs Ltd**
**Ronnie's Rod Shop** and of course **The Londoner Lads**