Lobb Does It Again

Although not the clean sweep as in Ruapuna the previous weekend, Caine Lobb once again dominated the round this weekend with three wins at the Timaru International Motor Raceway closing in on the championship to just one point behind current leader Matthew Lockwood.

Starting the weekend with the second fastest time in Saturday morning's qualification session Lobb was however able to get the better of pole sitter Simon Beirne at the start of race one in the afternoon and take an early lead.

Holding the position throughout the race he took first blood for the weekend with first place ahead of Beirne and Lockwood in third.

On Sunday morning in race two Lobb made his way through the field after starting from 11th on the grid courtesy of a marble draw used to determine the grid positions.

Nevertheless Lobb made his way those ahead of him but one on the narrow twisty circuit to claim second place behind Mack Peach and again ahead of points leader and current champion Matt Lockwood in third.

For race three Lobb was to start from third place in a reverse marble draw start and was able to win once again although only after eventually passing Lockwood who had held the lead for most of the race.

And in the final contest of the weekend Lobb was to make it three wins from the four races finishing once again in front of the ever consistent Matt Lockwood who was followed by Beirne.

With just one round remaining in the ENZED V8 Ute Series Lobb will head to Invercargill's Teretonga Park this coming weekend hopefully with an advantage of the circuit being well suited to the Mark Cromie Holden Racing Team's VE Commodore ute.

"I didn't have it all my own way at Timaru and couldn't build any gaps like at Ruapuna last week - Invercargill is better suited to our car and is a bit of a Holden circuit which will help things a bit I think." said Lobb.

The twisty and tight style of the circuit at Timaru is more suited to the more agile Ford utes and the previous model Commodore with leading Ford driver Simon Beirne proving that by setting pole position ahead of Lobb on Saturday morning.

Championship leader Matt Lockwood was also expected to be quick on the tricky circuit in his older VU Holden but felt he lacked pace on the weekend perhaps due to the aging model.

With Teretonga Park being a faster circuit without the narrow and tight turns of Timaru, Lobb hopes to find some advantage with the VE Holden which has proven to be quicker in a straight line.

"At Timaru I didn't have the quickest car that's for sure and the others were on my back all weekend so roll on Teretonga and hopefully we can have a good weekend down there." he said.

Round six this weekend at Invercargill's Teretonga Park sees the wrap up of the second season of the ENZED V8 Ute Series which has proven to be very popular with competitors and series' followers alike.

Four drivers remain in the running for the championship which goes down to the wire this coming Saturday 21st and Sunday 22nd March at New Zealand's most southern circuit.

Only 70 points cover the gap between leader Matt Lockwood from Palmerston North, Whangarei's Caine Lobb in second followed by Aucklander Mack Peach then Christchurch driver Simon Beirne with a maximum of 156 points available over four races.

However all eyes should be on the battle between Lobb and last season's champion Lockwood who enter the final with just one point seperating the two for the championship honours.