Wanganui's Peter Robb claimed his first UDC V8 Utes race win during the ITM 500 at Pukekohe on Saturday afternoon. Photo/Supplied
Wanganui's Peter Robb claimed his first UDC V8 Utes race win during the ITM 500 at Pukekohe on Saturday afternoon. Photo/Supplied
Wanganui driver Peter "Rocketman" Robb had waited a long time to win a UDC V8 Utes race and even on a technicality he was going to take it in front of 25,000 spectators at the ITM 500 on Saturday.
The Utes ran four races over Anzac weekend as a supportevent to the V8 Supercars and Wanganui helicopter pilot Robb claimed victory in his Holden Commodore in Race 3 on Saturday afternoon.
He had come 12th at the back of the field in the first race on Friday after a spin into Turn 2 on the last lap at the Pukekohe Raceway, then 11th in Race 2 on Saturday morning.
However, Robb made a super-fast start in Race 3, starting second on the grid alongside Jack Kofoed, the Holden driver who was celebrating his 20th birthday.
Kofoed would fluff his start and Robb was gone immediately, with Mike Lightfoot right behind him in his Ford Falcon.
Robb, known for being a hard driver to pass in the series, opted for stout defence and was able to repel two or three overtaking attempts by Lightfoot.
Meanwhile, Kofoed had recovered to keep clear of the pack, where there was a lot of bumping going on at Turn 5, and make up for his lost time at the start.
The young man made a classic move down the inside at the hairpin to pass Lightfoot within a couple of laps, while Robb edged away from the two by a couple of car lengths.
Unfortunately the race was unexpectedly cut short and the results stood on current positions, but no-one was begrudging "the Rocketman" his first win in six seasons.
A veteran who also raced at the 50th anniversary of Bathurst in 2012, Robb has had to deal with misfortune in the past as well, such as the ITM Hamilton 400 a few years ago when he led seven of the eight laps before a timing chain failed.
He would finish ninth in the final race on Sunday afternoon, where Ford Falcon driver Kris Walton completed a good weekend by claiming his third victory.
