Darryn Lobb is the 2009 Shelby
Can-Am champion, but he didn't have things
his own way in round six of the championship at
East London.
After the DK Woodcraft backed car suffered a
multitude of problems on Friday
he qualified a lowly 13th while Durban's JP
Bredenhann (Bigfoot
Express/Panel-Rite) had everything go right for
a change and claimed the all
important pole position. The only driver capable
of challenging for the
title, Rui Camps (Hugo Boss) shared the front
row.
Behind them were Alan Eve (Phakisa) and Sean
Greve (Vulcania Reinforcing)
who occupied the second row and the top six was
completed by Toby Scheckter
(Goodyear/Execuline) and Brian Algar (Thuthuka
Welding).
Bredenhann got a good start and wasn't seriously
challenged as he took the
flag almost a second ahead of Campos. Algar put
in a good drive to take
third, but Lobb had put in a superb drive and
wasn't far behind him.
Eve had an opening lap skirmish with Campos
which left him with a steering
problem and he did well to hang on for fifth
ahead of Hanno Pengilly (Azura
Retreats). "It really felt weird going through
Potters like that," he said.
Scheckter was unlucky as he retired early when
the alternator belt broke.
As is the norm, race two was combined with the
GT Challenge to create the
race of the day, which the crowd thoroughly
enjoyed.
Lobb took the Shelby Can-Am honours as he
finished second behind the mighty
Porsche of Toby Venter.
Despite being hit by Algar on the opening lap
and racing with a damaged rear
wing, Eve was the runner-up. But Scheckter was
the talk of the pit-lane as
he bagged third place after a superb drive that
saw him only 3/10ths ahead
of Greve. Fifth went to Bertil Hoffman in the GP
Energy Drink car while
Thomas Reib completed the top six.
Lobb was handed the title when Campos and
Ferrari driver Oscar De Oliviera
crashed in the Complex on lap nine after Campos
tried to squeeze through a
gap that wasn't quite big enough.
Lobb's performances this year have been of the
highest order and the fact
that he's taken the title with two rounds
remaining confirms it. |
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