Lobb continues after huge crash at Taupo

After a death defying leap across the top of another Formula Ford followed by three rolls after hitting the gravel trap at speed, Caine Lobb's racing at last weekend's round three of the MTA Formula Ford NZ Championship looked like it was all over.

Not so and thanks to car owners Motorsport Solutions the car was incredibly rebuilt overnight and Lobb was back in the seat and on the track again the following morning.

Lobb went to the round at Taupo with the desire to back up his previous surprise victory at Ruapuna in November. Winning that round overall it was logical to compete in the following one and be a part of the New Zealand's first hosting of the A1GP Championship.

The first race of the MTA Formula Ford NZ Championship was held on the Friday and Caine Lobb had only managed eighth place in qualification with a 1.35.772 which was 1.255secs off the pace of pole sitter Sam MacNeill. Lobb conducted a brilliant race moving the Hydraulink Ford up through the other contenders and into third behind Tauranga's Kim Crocker. MacNeill was untouchable and finished the race over five seconds ahead of the two.

It was on Saturday morning's Race Two when disaster struck where Lobb was starting off the grid in the midfield and attempting to move up the order quickly. Time to catch up to the front runners was short on the narrow Taupo circuit notorious for lack of overtaking opportunites. A mere three quarters into the first lap and heading for the sweeper prior to the long 880 metre straight Lobb's day came to an end when contact was made with Christchurch's James Mitchell.

"I climbed a wheel - I pretty much went right over the top of him and came down in front of him. And then it was fine... I landed and slid off the track (but) I hit the gravel and flipped over three times" said Lobb whose only injury was a slight bruise on his leg. "A couple of the other guys were saying it looked like a mini when they came around (following the safety car)" said Lobb.

The spectacular crash was witnessed by Lobb's mother who was in the stands with friends and also by father/team manager Brian Craig from the pitwall which is located at the opposite end of the track.

"He thought he had just gone over once but he actually went over several times - a real barrell roll" said team manager Brian Craig. He pointed out the scuffs showing how far the car's roll bar had dug into the gravel damaging Lobb's helmet and coming close to seriously injuring the young driver. Craig believes the HANS device (used to protect drivers from neck injury) quite probably saved his son's life or at least permanent and serious injury.

"It (the roll bar) went right into the gravel and the next thing below that is the helmet and the HANS took the weight to his shoulders - I wouldn't let him race without one" he says. "The helmet's wrecked!"

After the knuckle-whitening leap, high-speed slide and 3x barrel roll, the Formula Ford resembled a pile of scrap metal with only one wheel remaining intact and most panels ripped from the car's framework. Lobb was taken to hospital for a routine check up but was soon released.

With most believeing that Lobb was out for the weekend it was quite a surprise to see him and the seemingly unharmed Hydraulink Ford lined up on the grid for Sunday's Race Three. The Motorsport Solutions crew had spent four hours alone on straightening and fitting the steel floor pan and aside from piecing the wreckage back together had fitted a new engine in time for the final race. All of the car's suspension arms had been replaced as well as the transmission so the effort from the crew was outstanding.

Lobb was forced to the back of the grid after the accident and again spent his race fighting his way past the slower cars on a circuit where there are virtually no passing opportunities for cars with similar power. Picking the opposition off one at a time, Lobb managed to get up behind Daniel Jileson from Taumaranui but could not shake the driver into letting a gap open up and finished behind him in sixth.

"The car got very very wide" said Brian Craig in response to how Jileson skillfully held the faster Lobb behind him through the latter stages of the race.

Caine Lobb placed a very creditable seventh place overall for the weekend from just two of three races. He is very thankful for the support he received from people in the motorsport fraternity who all pitched in with help after the accident and others who are offering support for his continuing in the series which he had not intended to do at the start of the season.

With Lobb winning the second round at Ruapuna and then achieving a third and fifth place this weekend he still has a real chance of achieving a top result if he does continue. After missing the first round he will be constantly playing catch up.

"We're looking at it, we're considering doing Manfield" said Craig who at this stage believes they will be taking it one round at a time due to the high cost of running in the series. The Manfield Autocourse near feilding is next on the calendar and will take place over 16-18th February. "So many people have come to us offering support - some I never even knew before." he says.

Brian Craig is also looking at working with Motorsport NZ at having the HANS device become mandatory and increasing the legal height of the Ford's roll bar. He is very aware of how lucky Caine Lobb was to have walked away unscathed from such a devastating crash and he says it is owed to the device.

Special Thanks to Mark Cromie Holden Whangarei, Classic Cover Insurance, Dold Industries, The Caboose Motel Taupo, Tony Oliver Contracting Wellington, Tony Gordon Panel and Paint Whangarei, Flamecrusher race suits, Motorsport Solutions Christchurch for you help and pledges. And of course Arai Helmets and Hans Device.

Iain Whitaker