Quick Weekend Expected Says Lobb

Caine Lobb will roll the Mark Cromie Holden Racing Team V8 Ute out onto the tarmac this weekend at Pukekohe Park Raceway for what is expected to be a pivotal round for the current champion of the ENZED V8 Ute Racing Series.

In October at Taupo Motorsport Park, Ford driver Chris Pither from Palmerston North opened the 2009-10 season by winning the first round ahead of Whangarei driver Lobb.

However the Fords were expected to be quick there on the twisty circuit as they were last year at the A1GP event.

Lobb placed second for the opening round an improvement on last year's event where he was third and went on to win the series.

Moving to the fast-paced sweeping Pukekohe Park Raceway this weekend, the Holdens are expected to have the upper hand there as they did last season.

"It should be a good weekend for us and we will be watching to see where Chris (Pither) will be this round - last year the Fords were nearer the back of the field at Pukekohe." said Lobb.

Last year at the South Auckland circuit there were some very exciting battles between the three top Holden drivers Mack Peach, Matt Lockwood and Lobb.

"Our Holden should be quick there again but we will be just taking it as it comes." says Lobb.

Neither Lockwood or Peach are competing in the series this year leaving Lobb to contend with new comers Chris Pither and Christchurch driver Simon Grace.

Grace has come to the series from something quite different in the Formula Ford National Championship but Pither brings with him a wealth of experience in ute and touring car racing after spending a few years in Australia competing in their own Ute Racing Series and also driving a few rounds in the Team Kiwi Racing V8 Supercar.

At Pukekohe which Lobb refers to as a 'point and squirt circuit' Lobb's main rival could well be not from Pither but from rookie and fellow Holden driver Simon Grace who currently sits in third place.

Lobb, Grace and Pither dominated the front positions at the opening round in Taupo and may well do so this weekend unless Ford driver Pither struggles on the circuit which has favoured the Holden race utes in the past.

Whatever happens this weekend Lobb will have to stay on his toes throughout the season against these two.

With just one round completed Lobb sits on the leader board in second place with 130 points to Chris Pither's 156 and Holden driver Simon Grace is in third on 120.

The next round is scheduled for the 5-7th of February at the brand new Hampton Downs Circuit just south of Auckland near Meremere.