Lobb Becomes SIFF Champion
 Media Release: April 17th 2007
South Island Formula Ford Championship 2006/7
Round Six: Timaru
While Caine Lobb has been stepping in and out of the spotlight in the MTA National Formula Ford Championship, the Whangarei driver has been quietly competing in the South Island Formula Ford Championship and won it outright last weekend at the final round at the Timaru International Speedway.An outstanding race record including six race wins and only one non-podium finish over the season was more than enough to hold the lead in the standings and wrap it all up at the last round ahead of other main contenders John Whelan and Nick Donaldson (second and third respectively).Lobb only qualified third at the weekend and never managed a win but with two third places and a second he earned the points needed to remain out in front and take the title. With the Hydraulink Ford still in pieces he was using a car leased from Motorsport Solutions."I was playing it safe because if I didn't do anything stupid I knew I would be able to wrap the championship up" said Lobb. "In the third race I was leading and pulled a gap but I think there was a bit of brain-fade on my part and they were up behind me again. They (Donaldson and Whelan) got past but I didn't fight for it because I didn't want to lose the championship over it.""I got some pretty good speed up in the last race and matched my best time I've ever done around Timaru" he said.This weekend is the final round of the MTA Formula Ford National Championship held at Pukekohe as part of the Placemakers V8 Supercars event. Lobb was hoping to compete in the finals but decided the money was better spent on preparing for the new season. The Hydraulink Ford took quite a beating at the Taupo round in January where Lobb crashed it and is still sitting in the workshop completely dismantled and undergoing a rebuild and upgrade."We were going to go to Pukekohe but decided against it and put the money towards rebuilding the car" he said. "It's bare chassis at the moment so we'll get it all put back together and painted up in time for the winter series at Manfeild - not sure when that starts... sometime between now and summer (laughs)."Caine Lobb and manager Brian Craig were looking into a move into another formula which included a possible drive in the Toyota Racing Series. With the costs in the TRS soaring Lobb believes the best plan is to compete in the Fords and believes he may not be alone in his opinion."There's a bit of talk about (TRS) drivers coming back to Fords so I think the new season will be pretty hard out" he said.Manager Brian Craig would also have liked to seen Caine compete at Pukekohe but feels there wouldn't be enough return for their efforts and finances needed for the event couldn't be justified. The team has bought the Hydraulink Ford after leasing it through the season and looks forward to getting the car back on the track this winter."The cost is too high for what it is - there are only two races and if anything goes wrong the Fords will be the first one the officials will drop (to make up the time)" said Craig. "For what you get out of it we didn't think it was worth it and the money's best invested in our car."
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. |