NZ Utes: Series Timaru preview

TOP TRIO TACKLE TIMARU

The ENZED V8 Ute Challenge competitors have Timaru firmly in their sights as they prepare to fight out Round 4 of this exciting championship this weekend.

The V8 Utes have visited the tight, twisty 2.4 kilometre circuit before but never as part of the Premier Summer Motor Race Series. Therefore many South Canterbury motor race fans will get their first experience of V8 Ute racing this weekend.

Caine Lobb 'The Ginja Ninja' in his Mark Cromie Holden leads the show into town. While Lobb extended his series lead over Christchurch driver Simon 'Jnr Burner' Beirne (Team McDonald's Falcon) at Teretonga defending champion Chris Pither 'The Gypsy' has closed in on the leading duo. After three rounds Lobb of Whangarei has 794 points, Beirne 744 and Queensland based kiwi Pither in his Gallagher XR8 Falcon, 675 points.

The leading trio all enjoy the Timaru circuit. Lobb loves it and says he will be endeavouring to collect another load of points and keep out of trouble. Beirne has always run strongly there and Pither enjoys racing there and is concentrating on trimming the gap to those ahead of him.

Expect those three drivers to be right in the thick of the action this weekend while the action at Teretonga last weekend suggests that many in this tightly bunched field are getting on top of their race set ups. Racing at Teretonga was very close and the very tight, technical nature of the Timaru circuit could very possibly throw up some of the best racing of the series so far. The marble draw and reverse grid format of the ENZED V8 Ute Challenge requires drivers to battle their way through the traffic and great racing is always the result.

Testing for the ENZED V8 Ute Challenge takes place on Thursday and Friday with qualifying scheduled for 10.50am on Saturday. Later that afternoon, at 2.40pm, the first race over 8 laps will be fought out. On Sunday there is an 8 lap race at 10.25am with the final race over 12 laps timed to start at 2.00pm.

The category enjoys the support of ENZED, UDC Finance, Radio Hauraki, Yokohama, Castrol, Citizen Watches, Exedy, Armorall, SCT and EFILive.

-source: v8utes.co.nz