Lobb's Eyes On New Season

The ENZED V8 Ute Racing Series came to an exciting conclusion at Timaru International Motor Raceway over the weekend when defending champion Caine Lobb conceded victory to Chris Pither.

The competition between the pair was fierce all the way to the final and an unprecedented tie at the two rounds prior to the final drew attention to what was going to be another close final for the Holden versus Ford series which has now concluded it's third season.

Lobb was forced to chase Pither after he took an early lead in the series at the first round at Taupo Motorsport Park and edged ahead slightly further to a 40 point lead at round two at Pukekohe Park Raceway.

Lobb came back at Pither in the final race at Pukekohe after the team made some dramatic changes to the Holden's set up finding more speed in the car up to two seconds per lap. Taking that speed on to Hampton Downs and then Ruapuna Whangarei driver Lobb held his own against the Palmerston North driver with two unprecedented ties at both rounds but unable to make a dent in the points deficit.

For the final round at Timaru the Mark Cromie Holden Racing Team took yet another fresh look at their set up on the Holden and made further improvement on what they found at Pukekohe.

"It was a good season and we got second place in the end - Timaru went ok and we got the car to go around the circuit much faster than before but it just wasn't enough and we only managed to beat Chris in one race."

Lobb was disadvantaged by a unfortunate qualifying session and then further by pulling 11th on the grid from the marble draw.

"It was wet for the start of qualifying but parts of the track were starting to dry out towards the end and I was on a really quick lap but another driver did a half spin in front of me, I had to go around him and it cost me quite a bit of time." said Lobb.

He started the first race in seventh and came through to place second behind Pither who started from the front row. In the second race the marble draw was in force and Lobb started in 11th once more clawing his way through the pack to finish behind Pither again in second place.

In the third race the start was determined by a reverse order of the marble draw which saw Lobb start from the front row while Pither was at the rear. It was Lobb's turn to take a win with Pither taking his turn to cross the line in second place.

For the grand final contest of the weekend and indeed season the two series leaders lined up next to each other on the front row for the start.

"We started side by side for the final race and I got a good jump on him but he got me about a lap later and just drove away with it." said Lobb.

Lobb placed second once more securing his second place in the season's standings 48 points behind Chris Pither. He is now simply eager to have another go in the Mark Cromie Holden Racing Team ute for season four to reclaim the trophy.

"Chris is an awesome driver but we were closing the gap on him and we'll get there. He's done a lot of driving overseas where the standards are very high and it shows. It's good because I always lift my game when I drive against him." said Lobb.

The rumour mill has been working hard as usual at the end of the summer season and word has got around that the ENZED V8 Ute Racing Series could possibly be included in Motorsport New Zealand's Tier One category next season. If that becomes the case it will join it's sister series the BNTV8s which headlines the category attracting the best drivers in the country to compete.

"We are hoping the ute series will be included in Tier One with the BNTV8s next season so may be doing another year of it yet. But before that we plan to do some testing in a BNTV8 soon for an enduro coming up which I am hoping to compete in. What I would also like to do next season is get in a couple of rounds in a BNTV8 Holden if possible."

In April there will be an exciting and new experience for Lobb and another 15 Kiwi drivers from the ENZED V8 Racing Ute Series when they attend an invitation for the Trans Tasman Test and go head to head against 16 drivers from Australia.

The three races will take place as support to the Australian V8 Supercars Championship when they contest round five of their series at the ITM 400 in Hamilton over the weekend of 16-18th April 2010.

"I don't know how that's going to go and I'm a little nervous about it - I don't know any of the Australian drivers or what they are like to drive against." said Lobb.

Certainly the action between the 32 roaring V8 utes will be exciting and the drivers will be wide eyed and alert as they battle through the Hamilton street circuit lined with unforgiving concrete walls.