Pretoria’s motorsport fans were treated to an exhilarating day of action at Zwartkops Raceway this past weekend (20-21 June) with a host of Extreme Festival Presented By Coca-Cola national roster battles.
The Volkswagen Rookie Cup were the first of the day’s full roster of eight series to do battle, with the Zwartkops Raceway visit being the third championship round for the all-Volkswagen Polo Vivo GT series. Josh Moore (BPW) took his second win of the season in the day’s first race, following a fierce battle with Christopher Tait (Sportex). Mauro Da Luz (Retail) completed the podium.
The same trio again topped things in Race 2. This time, it was Tait who took his second win of the season while Moore held off De Luz.
The fastest battles of the day came in the three races that made up Round 3 of the Extreme SuperCars Driven By Dunlop season. Jonathan du Toit (Trans Africa Racing Lamborghini Huracan G T3 EVO) took a hat-trick of race and GT3 class wins. In Races 1 and 3, he was closely pursued over the line by class rival Charl Arangies (Stradale Motorsport Porsche GT3R). Gianni Giannoccaro (G&H Transport Nissan GTR R35 GT3), also in the GT3 class, finished third in those races. He took the runner-up spot in Race 2, where Paul Hill (Kalex Audi R8 LMS GT3 EVO 2, competing in Class A, completed the podium.
While Hill won his class in the second race, a trio of different Class A winners emerged, with Kris Budnik (Bucketlist Composites Dodge Viper) and Ricky Giannoccaro (G&H Transport Mercedes AMG GT3) taking the wins in Races 1 and 3, respectively. Elwyn Steenkamp (Jeys Consultants BMW M4) won Class B in all three races. Uli Sanne (BMW Z4) and Jimmy Giannoccaro (G&H Transport Audi R8) took the respective Class C and D wins in the first two races, but neither driver started Race 3.
Defending champion Clinton Seller (King Price Xtreme) continued his dominance in the all-Kawasaki ZX10 SunBet ZX10 Masters Cup with a double-victory. On both occasions, it was his Class A rival Damion Purificati (Amalgum Welding Shop) who took the runner-up spot. The podiums were completed by Class C winner Jayson Lamb (Tyremart East London) in Race 1 and Graeme van Breda (Stefanutti Stocks), who won Class B in Race 2.
Hein McMahon (K9 Law Enforcement) completed the Class A top three in both races. Van Breda and Lamb also took double class wins on the weekend. Sfiso Themba (Wakahina) and Reginald Seale (HX Consulting Services) completed the Class B podium in both races, with Brian Bontekoning (Jaguar Air Products) and Johan le Roux (Avidan) taking the Class C runner-up spots in both races.
The much anticipated maiden championship outing for the new Investchem MSA4 series saw three races. KC Ensor-Smith (African Heating) took the first two race wins. Shrien Naidoo (Production X) and Renzo Ribeiro (Metal Used Spares) completed the podium in the first race. Ribeiro again featured on the Race 2 podium, this time in second place after holding off Adriaan Nel (SignFactory).
The final race saw Mikel Bezuidenhout (Corsa Dei Gemelli) beat Karabo Malemela (KMFT Morita) to the win, with Liam Polome (Red Dot) third.
Rory Atkinson (Industry Petroleum) took a trio of wins in the all-Volkswagen Polo GTI Astron Energy Polo Cup. Mohammed Karodia (Fast 5 Motorsport) finished as runner-up in the first two races, with Hannes Scheepers (Dainfern Dental Studio) and Judd Bertholdt (Volkswagen Rookie Cup) completing the podium in the respective races. Scheepers took another third place in Race 3, this time with Tyler Robinson (AF Fans) in second.
Wayne Masters won the Masters Class in all three races. John Kruger (Habot Lubricants) also featured on all three podiums, with a third place to start the day before two runner-up finishes. Derick Smalberger (Sabertek) finished second in Race 1 and third in Race 2, while Mike Barbaglia (PABAR) completed the Race 3 podium.
Jason Coetzee took a double victory in the GR Cup Driven By Netstar’s GR 86 Class. Both races saw Kent Swartz and Khaya Ngwenya complete the podium.
While Nabil Abdool continued his GR Yaris Class dominance with two more wins, it was Phuti Mpayne who took both runner-up spots. In Race 1, the class podium was completed by Kyle Kock, with Charl Bosch taking third place in Race 2.
The GR Corolla Class saw Devon Scott beat Mario de Sousa and Werner Venter in both races.
Keegan Campos (Campos Transport BMW 128ti) beat Michael van Rooyen (Toyota Gazoo Racing Toyota Corolla) and Julian van der Watt (Chemical Logistics Volkswagen Golf 8 GTI) in the first South African Touring Cars race. In Race 2, it was Van Rooyen who racked up his first win of the season, ahead of Saood Variawa (Toyota Gazoo Racing Toyota Corolla), with Van der Watt again completing the podium.
Behind them, the SATC SupaCup saw defending champion Jonathan Mogotsi (Volkswagen Genuine Parts Volkswagen Polo SupaCup) take both wins. Jason Loosemore (Astron Energy Volkswagen Polo SupaCup) and Tate Bishop (ANGRi Racing Volkswagen Polo SupaCup) alternated the runner-up spots in the respective races.
The next outing for the national roster will be at the East London Grand Prix Circuit on 18-19 July, while this coming weekend (27-28 June) will see the Extreme Festival Presented By Coca-Cola’s regional roster in action at Red Star Raceway.
