ROOKIE Formula First racer Matthew Stubbs got just the start he wanted at Round 1 of the national championship at Taupo. "For this season we're aiming to be in the top 10, so we're well within that," manager Stuart Stubbs said yesterday. Stubbs is a member of the Sabre Motorsport team, whichhas won the national championship six times in the past 10 years, along the way gathering 200 podium places. Sabre runs six cars, one for the Speedsport magazine scholarship winner and the rest for drivers chosen for their racecraft, professional attitude and potential. The drivers lease the cars ? they simply turn up and drive ? and are responsible for funding themselves. Stuart Stubbs said three groups have come on board to support Matthew ? Remax Retail, Bridgestone and the Indoor GP Karting people from Wellington. At Taupo Stubbs was on the pace right from the start, doing well in practise and qualifying for the second row of the grid. "We decided on a conservative approach," said Stuart Stubbs. "We wanted to make sure of scoring points." Matthew was sixth in race one, then had a "moment" in race two in the rain. He was slightly off line and hit oil dropped by another car. He spun off, and by the time he rejoined he was down to around 15th place. It's to his credit that he improved to 10th out of a field of 22 at the finish. In the third race Stubbs got involved in a dice with another driver and then held up by him, and he finished 8th. Other drivers also had problems and the final placing of 7th delighted the team. Matthew Stubbs' next outing will be in round two at his "home" track, Manfeild, on November 18 - 19. His is one of the cars chosen to carry a camera, so there should be some good footage when the series makes it to television.
