Lobb Battles For More Podiums
 Media Release: March 5th 2007
MTA New Zealand Formula Ford Championship 2006
Round Five: Timaru
Whangarei driver Caine Lobb made clear his intentions in motorsport when he pulled out of the Formula First NZ Championship last month resolving to commit fully to the MTA New Zealand Formula Ford Championship for the remainder of this season in preparation of competing the full calendar next season.This 2006-7 season has seen Caine Lobb contest in three of five rounds thus far missing the first and fourth rounds. This includes a very successful meeting in Ruapuna in which he surprised all by winning the round in his first appearance in the championship. At Round Three in Taupo he survived a dramatic high speed crash on Saturday morning from which he was lucky to walk away from unscathed only to come back the next day and drive a very battered car to fourth place. The damage caused Lobb to miss the following round held at Feilding last month while the car awaits a complete rebuild.Last weekend Lobb went to Timaru for Round Five but in the seat of another Formula Ford provided by Motorsport Solutions who also own his regular car. He was able to get some laps completed last week on the Timaru circuit but in hindsight believes he may not have done enough. He qualified in Sixth place for the first race on Saturday which was a little disappointing compared to his previous results. This put Lobb on the third row although the margin between himself and the pole sitter was a mere half a second. In the first race he lost a position at the start but made it up again before the chequered flag."I got a lap time of 1.06.888 and pole was 1.06.355" said Lobb. "I qualified sixth fell back to seventh in the race and finished in sixth."In the second race on Sunday morning there was contact made right off the start line with another driver. Lobb then had to struggle through the race for a decent position but it never eventuated with him finishing in seventh."In the second race I came together with John Whelan on the first corner of the first lap" said Lobb. "So... I was pretty much nowhere in that race."However in the third and final race Lobb showed the skills which have made heads turn in earlier Formula Ford rounds. After finding himself pushed back to second to last after a messy start, Lobb made his way through the field and finished just one place off a podium finish."In the third race I started off in seventh - I got shuffled and had a crap start" said Lobb. "I got pushed back to about second to last, I just clawed my way back picking them off one by one and came back to fourth." Lobb believes he could have done a little bit better over the weekend with a little more time spent preparing for it."I was battling with myself and the car - I think a few more laps (around Timaru) wouldn't have hurt" he said. "It's hard, tough and that's motorsport."Lobb heads off for the next round this weekend at Invercargill's Teretonga Park. He has competed there once before when racing in the South Island Formula Ford Championship last year. He currently leads that championship."I've been there once for the Southern series in one of the first rounds - it was pouring with rain and it would be nice to see what it's like in the dry" he said. "I'll be battling the car and battling the track to try and get some more podiums."
Note:
Caine Lobb earlier this year decided to pull out of the Formula First Championship to concentrate on his Formula Ford career. He currently leads the South Island Formula Ford Championship and is contesting the MTA NZ Formula Ford Championship in preparation for a serious championship challenge next season.The Formula First series is an excellent way for young drivers to get race experience at a relatively low cost. Caine Lobb went through the Speedsport Scholarship and used a car leased from Dennis Martin and Sabre Motorsport."We felt is was time to move on and concentrate on the Fords" says Lobb's manager Brian Craig. "We really appreciate what Dennis has done for us in the Firsts - it was an excellent experience."
At this stage Caine Lobb is unconfirmed but hopes to be racing at the last round of the MTA NZ Formula Ford Championship at Pukekohe in April which will be run as part of the Australian Super V8 meeting.
Special Thanks to Hydraulink, 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 |