First Podium For Classic Cover Skyline

Hamilton race driver Mark Joblin returned home after the weekend at Powerbuilt Raceway Ruapuna ecstatic to have placed third overall in the Suzuki New Zealand Production Racing Class B in the brand new Classic Cover Insurance Skyline 350GT.

In only his second round in the race car, Joblin was thrilled to have achieved a good result in the final race to cap off the weekend with a podium finish and able to celebrate on the podium for third overall at the first of three consecutive South Island rounds.

"We got third in the last race which was my first podium and that gave us third overall in Class B for the weekend so I'm most definitely happy with that." said Mark Joblin after his return home from the Christchurch circuit.

Having a brand new race car can put a team on the back foot as they find out what works and what doesn't over a race weekend but driver Mark Joblin and the hard working crew dubbed "Dad's Army" came away from the meeting very happy with the performance of the Nissan Skyline 350GT.

A stop off at Wellington's The Chequered Flag for a thorough race tune before the round at Ruapuna paid off for the Classic Cover Insurance team with the car beginning to show some real potential, leading to some quick lap times and some hard, fast battles on track.

"The car went really well down there and we got everything we wanted out of it, unfortunately we had a coming together with my old mate Wally (Richards) at one stage but we both finished alright with no real harm done." Joblin said.

With qualification now split into two groups after Friday's practice sessions Mark Joblin was aiming to make it into the fast 15 which he did comfortably.

"With being 12th fastest we made the cut which was our first objective, also with the improvements to the car's performance being so great I will have to amend my starting technique because I just sat wheel spinning at the start of each of the races."

There was however a major accident in the second race of the Suzuki NZ Production Racing Series where Logan Childs and Simon Sceats took each other out in very spectacular fashion but thankfully after being alerted quickly to the fact Mark Joblin was able to escape any involvement.

"I managed to avoid the big spectacular crash which took out two of the four wheel drive cars, Phil called it over the radio and I was able to weave my way through the debris." he said.

A very consistent and quick Gene Rollinson in last year's championship winning Mazda 3MPS is currently leading the Class B (two wheel drive) standings and both Michael Modgill and Steve Taylor are also strong.

Mark Joblin however sits quite well in sixth place at the moment after taking no points from round two.

Fifth placed Grant Fox in the Nissan 200SX who scored no points at Ruapuna is just 13 ahead of Joblin who was unable to compete in round two after an operation on his foot.

However, scoring points from all three rounds Barry Garland in his MG ZR currently is in fourth place above the two with 328 points to Joblin's 290 and will no doubt be the driver to beat when the series heads to Timaru aftter the Christmas break.

Mark Joblin, the Classic Cover Insurance team and their friends from Ballistic Motorsport hosted over 30 friends and supporters in the ex-TKR marquee over the weekend.

The guests in the hospitality tent were treated to great food and refreshments while they watched the action on track from the premier spot at Ruapuna's notorious hairpin.

Round four will be held at Timaru International Raceway over 9-11th January with round five held the very next weekend over the 16-18th January 2009 at Invercargill's Teretonga Park.

Mark Joblin was interviewed by Television One at Ruapuna who were interested in the Classic Cover Insurance Skyline 350GT as it is the first of it's kind to be raced in the Suzuki New Zealand Production Racing Series.

The interview is expected to air on Powerbuilt Tools Motorsport Sunday December the 14th.