For the first time in a decade, the Australian Formula Ford Series will head to Symmons Plains in Tasmania where a close title fight will continue involving CHE Racing Team’s Zak Lobko.
Lobko trails the series leader by 21-points, but was a race winner at Sydney Motorsport Park where he finished second for the round.
It will be a big weekend of racing as the Australian Formula Ford Series joins the Repco Supercars Championship at Symmons Plains.
Emerging as a title threat following an impressive end to his rookie season last year, Lobko has completed a round of the highly competitive Victorian Formula Ford Championship at Winton to ensure he is well prepared ahead of Tasmania.
It will be a fresh weekend for every contender at Symmons Plains, which plays into the hands of rookie Lachlan Strickland. Sydney Motorsport Park proved a breakthrough event for Strickland as he achieved his maiden Australian Formula Ford Series podium in the final race of the program.
Eclipsing personal bests in Sydney provides Imogen Radburn confidence heading to Tasmania and is one of the few in the field to have experience racing on the Repco Supercars Championship bill.
The trio will be without Team Manager and mentor Cameron Hill following Friday’s action as he focuses on his Repco Supercars Championship commitments with Truck Assist Racing, but he is sure to be an interested onlooker during the weekend.
Round 3 of the Australian Formula Ford Series begins with two Friday practice sessions and qualifying ahead of three races.
QUOTES
Zak Lobko
#7 CHE Racing Team
“The characteristics of Symmons Plains we don’t really have on the mainland, so it’s quite unique,” Lobko summarised.
“We’ve been strong everywhere that we’ve been this year, so I believe we’ll be up the front and I just need to race smarter to leave Tasmania with an improved points advantage to tighten the gap.
“It’s going to be really about who can learn the track the quickest in the two 20 minute practice sessions we have before qualifying. We have a team of three to look at data and footage to compare with each other, which will be very helpful.
“It’s really exciting to join the Supercars, every race will be broadcast to the excitement of my family and friends. Also having Cam racing there as well, it’ll be good to watch our mentor do his thing and we’ll be watching him from the sidelines cheering him on.”
Lachlan Strickland
#47 CHE Racing Team
“I haven’t raced at all these tracks before, so I don’t feel different approaching Symmons Plains and I’m eager to get out in opening practice to learn the track,” said Strickland.
“I’ve watched a bit of footage and used the simulator, but we’re heading there in the dark because no one has really been there.
“Racing there is going to be fun with the slipstreaming opportunities and also under brakes at the hairpin in addition to the penultimate corner will definitely make for some good action. It looks like a pretty mega track to race on.
“Sydney was a very good weekend, lots of learning and some pace there we were very happy with. It wasn’t unexpected, we had good pace through all the sessions at Sydney Motorsport Park and the fact that with Tassie no one has been there, it’ll level the playing field out even more.”
Imogen Radburn
#29 CHE Racing Team
“I think it won’t be a matter of just learning the track, but the whole atmosphere will be different supporting the Supercars,” explained Radburn.
“I’ve got experience racing in front of a Supercars crowd and at least there is heaps of space unlike Adelaide, so Symmons Plains is just like a normal race track anyway. I’ve been on the sim a lot, so I feel confident and well prepared ahead of this weekend.
“It’ll be a different experience without Cam there and we’re all going to have to support each other, do the best we can as well as putting in all the effort.
“I’m not going in with any huge expectations, I just want to gain points and finish every race to build up my experience.”
