Thrills galore as Rotax series kicks off by Steve Wicks
South African Rotax Max Challenge Round 1
Zwartkops – 19 April 2008
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point standings
Leeroy
Poulter leads SARMC |
It may have taken a while for the South African Max Challenge
season to get underway, but it was certainly worth waiting
for.
All classes provided close racing at Zwartkops on Saturday
(19 April) and there was a star studded line-up as some
rising stars made their presence felt.
Max Challenge was a thriller and it was Leeroy Poulter
(Ferodo/Birel) who took the overall win after winner of
the pre-final Devin Robertson (Big Boss//Sodi) suffered
accident damage in the final and nursed his kart home
to 12th. Bjorn Ganz (Swiss Cool/CRG) was on form and drove
superbly to take second place in the final behind Mathew
Hodges (Birel) who was placed third for the day.
Fabienne Lanz (PCR) was in the wars yet still kept Birel
mounted Rory Atkinson and Duke Ridgeway behind her. Further
back SA A1GP Rookie driver Wesleigh Orr had a torrid time
and a down on power motor left him fighting with the midfield
runners.
Sam
Tingle - Junior Max winner |
Sam Tingle dominated to take Junior Max honours for CRG.
His biggest threat was Axcil Jefferies (Toyota/Castrol
Birel) who qualified second which put him on the outside
line for the first corner which is a big disadvantage.
Still Jefferies did well to work his way up the order
to finish as runner-up in the two remaining races.
Third each time was Ricky Hill (Rigidek/CRG) while Shadine
Nortje (Birel) impressed as she bagged fourth ahead of
CRG driver Shau Mafuna who gained valuable experience
at the recent Euro Rotax event in France and Eckardt Briedenhann
(Big Boss/CRG) claimed sixth.
De Beer
took overall honours in Mini Max |
Roman de Beer (Seef/TonyKart) came out on top of the
Mini-Max war while Liam Venter (Birel) was second. It
really should have been Kelvin vd Linde’s (CRG)
day as he won the qualifying heat and the pre-final but
an off in the final saw him placed 12th which cost him
the overall win. PCR mounted Bevan Williams claimed third
ahead of the Birel mounted pair of Dewald Brummer and
Ryan Frost while the unlucky vd Linde was credited with
sixth.
Nathan
Parkins |
Nathan Parkins (Tuff Patch Tech) pulled off a superb
win in the 60cc GP Junior Final, but it wasn’t enough
to prevent Morgan McColl (Toyota/Castrol) taking the overall
win and Michael Taylor ending the day as runner-up. Parkins
got third and fourth was Bradley Taylor (Rigidek) with
Sheldon van der Linde (1st Race) and Shayur Harpal rounding
off the all important top six.
John
van Wyk - Max 175 |
Max 175 belonged to Birel’s John van Wyk who took
two convincing wins to take the day ahead of similarly
mounted Cyril Atkinson while Ingo Meyer (Birel) and Alan
Bouw (Birel) were next ahead of Kenneth Maciver (PCR)
and Birel driver Dean Mollett.
DD2 start |
Now on Bridgestone rubber, alNow on Bridgestone rubber,
along with the other Rotax classes, the unique twin speed
DD2 class surprised with its pace and CRG boys Ralph Odendaal
and Marc Murray fought tooth and nail all day with Odendaal
coming out on top.
In only his third DD2 event, Ian Young impressed as he
brought his Birel home to third having finished each race
in third place. Ronnie Baptista (CRG) did well to fend
off the more experienced Justin Allison (PCR) and PCR’s
Trent Williams.
Gary Marais (CRG) was on top of the DD2 masters class
ahead of George dos Ramos (Birel) and CRG’s Rocky
Gush , the latter two having qualified for the 2006 world
finals.
Winners of the Junior Max, Max Challenge, DD2 and DD2
Masters automatically qualify for the Rotax Max Challenge
Grand Finals which take place at the La Conca International
circuit in Muro, Leccese in the south of Italy on 27-30
November.
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