Another Podium for Darryn
Darryn Lobb (Nissan Dealer Team 350Z) drove one of the best races of his young motor racing career to finish second in race two in round five of the Bridgestone Production Car Championship at East London on Saturday.
On his first visit to the historic former grand prix circuit, the fastest layout in the championship and featuring the famed and super-quick Potter’s Pass and Rifle Range bends, Lobb started the reverse grid 15-lapper from pole position and took immediate advantage of his good fortune.
He and team-mate Marco da Cunha had qualified ninth and fifth respectively on Friday for Saturday’s first, standing start, race. da Cunha, who missed the last round as a result of MBA study commitments, finished the 10-lapper in fifth place, while Lobb was seventh.
Making the most of the rolling start traditionally employed for the second race (neutralising the traction of the all-wheel drive Audis in a standing start), the current Shelby Can Am sports car champion kept his Tubular-backed Nissan 350Z ahead of first Anthony Taylor (BMW 330i) for seven laps and then Michael Stephen (Audi A4 quattro) for another five laps.
He kept race one winner Stephen and the all-wheel drive Audi at bay right up to the last stages of the final lap, with the two swopping places twice in the twisty back section of the circuit, before Stephen made a pass stick as they approached the final corner. Lobb’s excellent second place earned him 12 valuable championship points and a third place overall for the day. It was his best result of his first season in the production car category and made him the highest-placed Nissan driver for the day.
“This was a memorable day for the Nissan Dealer Team and our principal sponsor Tubular Technical Construction,” said team principal Lee Philips. “We have all been working very hard for this and put in a lot of time and effort. We’ve tested a lot and, as always, received excellent support from Glyn Hall and his Nissan Motorsport team.
"Most of the top drivers in the country are competing in class A and – as I overheard one of them saying on Saturday – Darryn deserves to be there with them. Marco didn’t do anything wrong and was very unlucky to be hit by Fourie in the second race. It was clearly Fourie’s mistake and he came and apologised afterwards; but who knows – we could have been on for a Nissan Dealer Team 1-2!”
Lobb was understandably elated with his performance. “Thanks to the team for giving me a really good car. To lead for the first 14 laps at East London on my first appearance there in the Nissan 350Z is something I won’t forget in a hurry. I had to fend off my team-mate in the opening laps, then Anthony Taylor (an ex-champion) and then race one winner Stephen. The move he made on me in the complex was a fair one and I have no complaints. I just wish the race had ended one lap earlier!”
The team would like to thank their sponsors namely: Tubular Technical Construction, Exa Motor Group, Signs for You, Sasol, SAX Shocks, Hi Tech Mag Repairs, Nissan Diesel, Valid Value, NX Gen, TriDent & Top Car Panelbeaters