The Bridgestone Rotax National championships were
concluded in sweltering conditions. Wesleigh Orr was
unstoppable in the all important Max Challenge class
and took his PCR to victory in all four races to win
the Rotax Max championship and book his place in the
World Championship taking place next January.
Driving a locally built Apex kart, Edenvale based
Fabienne Lanz was in top form as she claimed the runner
up position with a fine second place in the final
race. Three third place finishes in the four races
were enough to give Birel driver Neil Basilio third
in the points standings ahead of Kwa-Zulu Natal driver
Shaun la Reservee (TonyKart) while Leeroy Pulter (Birel)
had a weekend from hell.
Shaun
Lereservee |
He arrived at the track leading the
title race, but mechanical problems resulted in him
dropping down to fifth in the final points tally ahead
of fellow Birel driver Mathew Hodges.
Pretoria’s Marc Murray also booked
his place in the World Finals by claiming the inaugural
Rotax RM1 championship ahead of Capetonian Claudio
Piazza-Musso as John Rustage crept into third place.
Wayne Riddell was top dog in the RM1
Masters class ahead of Garry Rogers and Michael Murphy.
Start
of the Junior Max Pre-final |
Pinetown’s
Ralph Odendaal (CRG) was king of the Junior Max series,
but was pushed hard by Vereeniging’s Arnold
Neveling (PCR) as Durban based Zane Nel took his TonyKart
to third from Bloemfontein’s Willem Botha (PCR).
Adding to the Kwa-Zulu/Natal dominance, pretty Jamie-Lee
Rossiter (Birel) claimed fifth ahead of Capetonian
Wiaan Swart (Birel).
Trent
Williams won the Mini Max championship for PCR, but
was pushed hard by fellow PCR driver Devin Robertson,
who scored two wins over the weekend. Third place
went to Tasmin Pepper (TonyKart) while Birel drivers
Duke Ridgway and Lourens Dunn.
Olivier Calkoen GP Junior
winner |
With
a Mini Max spec Rotax engine for 2005 awaiting the
winner of the GP Junior class, there was a lot at
stake.
Olivier
Calkoen soaked up the pressure by winning all four
races and claim the motor from Caleb Williams and
Charl Smalberger.
Mitchell
Licen was fourth with Sean Frost and Richard Napier
rounding off the minor placings.
Ridgway follwed by Rocky
|
Birel drivers ruled the roost in the Max 172 class as
Steve Ridgway snatched the title from under the nose
of Rob Kellock after the latter suffered with a down
on power motor. George dos Ramos ended in third place
with Rocky Gush taking fourth ahead of Waldie Meintjies
and Brian Evans, the latter making the long haul from
Cape Town.
