Lobb aims to keep series lead over Pither

After winning 50 per cent of the six round Enzed V8 Ute Challenge so far this season, Caine Lobb heads to the series final in Hamilton leading the defending champion by 71 points and looking to take the title for a second time.
This will be Lobb's first time competing on the Hamilton temporary street circuit due to missing the event last year. But he still aims to be on the podium and will be targeting race wins in order to keep him in the lead over second-placed driver Chris Pither.
"I haven't been on the circuit before and we don't get much practice time on it before the first race but we always go to these events to win and this weekend will be the same. We're going for race wins and to win the series," Lobb said.
It is Lobb's fourth season driving the Mark Cromie Holden ute in the series with which he won the 2008-09 title and this time around the Whangarei driver has had another strong season. He holds a large lead since winning the opening round at Pukekohe Park Raceway last November.
Pither won the ITM 400 at Hamilton in 2010 and he is expected to provide Lobb with his stiffest competition when Lobb makes his debut there this weekend.
Throughout the season Lobb and Pither have treated the crowds with some exciting racing as they have fought over the lead time and time again at every one of the circuits around New Zealand.
Nevertheless when the Holden and Ford Racing Utes hit the circuit this weekend it will be Lobb who has the upper hand with a comfortable points buffer of 71 over Pither.
This will force the Palmerston North driver to be aggressive during the weekend in an effort to close Lobb's sizeable gap to have a chance at the title.
Lobb will need to be strong and consistent to hold on to his 71-point buffer which should translate to some smart and mature driving on his part.
Although his philosophy is to target race wins he will have to stay out of trouble and maintain his record of finishing races this season.
"We need to have as strong a weekend as possible and we can't afford any bad races. I will just go out there put my head down and go for it and hope we don't have any trouble," Lobb said.
With rain forecast over the weekend there will be plenty of action in all categories including the hard-charging V8 Supercars and BNT V8s.
But the action will be most exciting in the Enzed V8 Ute Challenge where Lobb and Pither will be driving on the knife edge in between the unforgiving concrete safety barriers as they battle over who will become the title holder this year.
The Enzed V8 Ute Challenge begins this weekend with testing at 9am tomorrow and qualification at 1.25pm.
The first race starts at 10.50am on Saturday followed by two races on Sunday at 8.45am then 11.45am.