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Cape Town - The motorcycle brigade stole much of the thunder at Round 2 of the WesBank Super Series at Killarney at the weekend.
The two SA Supersport 600 heats and a brace of SA Superbike unlimited races provided for some enthralling racing with close finishes. And if individual honours had to be dished out, new kid on the block Dave McFadden (Kawasaki) and two-time Superbike champion Greg Gildenhuys (BMW), would be at the front of the line.
INTENSE SCRAP
Local boy McFadden twice upstaged Gildenhuys at the opening round of the WesBank series at Zwartkops and took another win in the opening Superbike heat. After 10 laps of skirmishing McFadden won by less than a wheel.
Behind them the same margin separated Nicolas Grobler (BMW) and Chris Leeson (Ducati Panigale) in third and fourth. Their battle was just as intense as the scrap between McFadden and Gildenhuys.
There was drama at the start of race two when Kawasaki riders Richard Carmody and Chris du Preeze fell at the first corner and the race was red-flagged. After the restart McFadden and Gildenhuys proceeded to put on a breathtaking show with the pair tied together with a piece of string.
Leeson and Grobler, around two seconds behind the pair, had the best seats in the house as the battle unfolded. Gildenhuys eventually won a final dash to the finish line with the two motorcycles separated by seven-thousandths of a second.
BRAKING TANGLE
The two Supersport heats were also loaded with drama and for one and a half races it looked as though the Honda team would make a clean sweep of the podium places for the second time in a row. Local hero Lance Isaacs took the first heat from team mate Clint Seller in a photo finish with teenager Cam Petersen taking third.
For five laps of race two Seller led from Isaacs and teenager in Brent Harran. Then the wheels fell off. Seller out-braked himself and then Isaacs and Harran tangled. Free State rider Ivan Torlage (Kawasaki) suddenly found himself in the lead with Petersen involved in a huge scrap with Dean Vos (Kawasaki).
In the end Torlage was a comfortable winner with Vos just pipping Petersen, for second.
The car categories could not quite match the bikers for action and drama but there was some highly interesting racing. A few bloody noses were also dished out and the BMW F30 picked up a win first time out.
BONNET BLEW IT
The premier Class A category in the Production Car series produced a mixed bag with local hero Johan Fourie (Audi S4) missing out on a hat trick in the three heats. After winning the first two Fourie was scuppered in the final race when the Audi’s bonnet came loose and the former champion lost a lap in the pits.
Fourie took the opening heat from reigning champion Michael Stephen (Audi S4) and Hennie Groenewald (Subaru WRX). The Capetonian then won heat two ahead of Etienne van der Linde in one of the new BMW F30s and the consistent Groenewald to set up a possible hat trick.
With Fourie out of the picture the final race was dominated by former champion Anthony Taylor who simply streaked away in the second of the new BMWs to give the car a victory on debut. Groenewald was in on the act again with his third podium of the day ahead of Melvill Priest (Audi S4).
Class T was totally dominated by reigning champion Gary Formato who for the second time in two seasons completed a clean sweep of wins. Formato (Ford Focus) won all three heats to take a firm early grip on the championship.
Formato’s closest championship challenger, Graeme Nathan (VW Golf6) had to be content with two second places with youngster Jaques Joubert (Golf) also making a couple of trips to the podium. The other major casualty in the championship race was Gennaro Bonafede (Golf6) who will want to forget this trip to the Fairest Cape as soon as possible.
AWESOME AUBYS
It is hard to keep the Auby clan – father Deon and sons Jimmy, Brandon and Mark – out of the V8 Supercar limelight and the family were at it again in the premier GT1 Class. Early championship leader Marc (Lumina) also had a day to forget but brothers Jimmy and Brandon and Dad rescued family pride.
Jimmy took race one ahead of Brandon (Falcons) ahead of veteran former champion Ben Morgenrood (Falcon). Race 2, from the customary inverted grid, saw Auby senior take his first win of the season after starting fifth, ahead of reigning champion Jimmy with Welkom-based Danie Correia third (Corvette).
Former champion Des Gutzeit (Falcon) and Pat Seddon (Lumina) shared the wins in the GT2 Class. Gutzeit won heat one from Seddon with the order reversed in race two with Darron Gudmanz (Corvette) and Ray Wilford (Corvette) sharing thirds.
GREAT SEASON AHEAD?
Three Engen VW Polo Cup heats brimming with hard racing produced three winners. Reigning champion Devin Robertson, rising teenage star Kelvin van der Linde and local favourite Kosie Weyers each did nothing to harm their championship credentials.
Robertson picked up a win and a second, Van der Linde a win and two thirds and Weyers a win and a second and third to get his championship back on an even keel. Kyle Barnes also chipped in with second in race two with the championship looking likely to develop into a hugely competitive affair as the season rolls on.
The Formula VW event again underlined the likelihood that the championship is going to be dominated by reigning champion Jayde Kruger, Robert Wolk and Simon Moss. Kruger won heat one from Wolk with a hiccup dropping Moss to fifth behind Tasmin Papper and Caleb Williams.
Moss then made a demon start from row three of the grid in race two and outlasted Kruger and Wolk. Williams took fourth, Nicholas van Weely fifth.
Victories were also shared in the Midas 1600 heats which also produced some intensely competitive racing. Reigning champion Mathew Merton (Mygale) snared the race one win ahead of Werner Scholtz (Mygale) and James temple in (Mygale).
Young Jason Campos (Mygale) upstaged everyone in race two with Temple edging out Merton in the battle for second and third.
RESULTS
V8 Supercars
Race 1
GT1: 1 J Auby (Ford Falcon); 2 B Auby (Ford Falcon); 3 B Morgenrood (Ford Falcon)
GT2: 1 D Gutzeit (Ford Falcon); 2 P Seddon (Chev Lumina); 3 D Gudmanz (Chev Corvette)
Race 2
GT1: 1 D Auby (Ford Falcon); 2 J Auby (Ford Falcon); 3 D Correia (Chev Corvette)
GT2: 1 P Seddon (Chev Lumina); 2 D Gutzeit (Ford Falcon); 3 R Wilford (Chev Corvette)
Bridgestone Production Cars
Race 1
Class A: 1 J Fourie (Audi S4); 2 M Stephen (Audi S4); 3 H Groenewald (Subaru WRX)
Class T: 1 G Formato (Ford Focus); 2 G Nathan (VW Golf6); 3 S Duminy (Ford Focus)
Race 2
Class A: J Fourie (Audi S4); 2 E van der Linde (BMW F30); 3 H Groenewald (Subaru WRX)
Class T: 1 G Formato (Ford Focus); 2 J Joubert (VW Golf6); 3 S Duminy (Ford Focus)
Race 3
Class A: 1 A Taylor (BMW F30); 2 H Groenewald (Subaru WRX); 3 M Priest (Audi S4)
Class T: 1 G Formato (Ford Focus); 2 G Nathan (VW Golf6); 3 J Joubert (VW Golf GTI)
Engen VW Cup
Race 1
1 D Robertson (VW Polo); 2 K Weyers (VW Polo); 3 K van der Linde (VW Polo)
Race 2
1 K van der Linde (VW Polo); K Barnes (VW Polo); 3 K Weyers (VW Polo)
Race 3
1 K Weyers (VW Polo); 2 D Robertson (VW Polo); 3 K van der Linde (VW Polo)
Formula Volkswagen
Race 1 – 1 J Kruger (FVW); 2 R Wolk (FVW); 3 T Pepper (FVW)
Race 2 – 1 S Moss (FVW); 2 J Kruger (FVW); 3 R Wolk (FVW)
Formula Midas 1600
Race 1 – 1 M Merton (Mygale); W Scholtz (Mygale); 3 J Temple (Mygale)
Race 2 – 1 J Campos (Mygale); 2 J Temple (Mygale); 3 M Merton (Mygale)
SA Supersport
Race 1
1 L Isaacs (Honda); 2 C Seller (Honda); 3 C Petersen (Honda)
Race 2
1 I Torlage (Kawasaki); 2 D Vos (Kawasaki); 3 C Petersen (Honda)
SA Superbikes
Race 1
1 D McFadden (Kawasaki); 2 G Gildenhuys (BMW); 3 N Grobler (BMW)
Race 2
1 G Gildenhuys (BMW); 2 D McFadden (Kawasaki); 3 N Grobler (BMW)
The two SA Supersport 600 heats and a brace of SA Superbike unlimited races provided for some enthralling racing with close finishes. And if individual honours had to be dished out, new kid on the block Dave McFadden (Kawasaki) and two-time Superbike champion Greg Gildenhuys (BMW), would be at the front of the line.
INTENSE SCRAP
Local boy McFadden twice upstaged Gildenhuys at the opening round of the WesBank series at Zwartkops and took another win in the opening Superbike heat. After 10 laps of skirmishing McFadden won by less than a wheel.
Behind them the same margin separated Nicolas Grobler (BMW) and Chris Leeson (Ducati Panigale) in third and fourth. Their battle was just as intense as the scrap between McFadden and Gildenhuys.
There was drama at the start of race two when Kawasaki riders Richard Carmody and Chris du Preeze fell at the first corner and the race was red-flagged. After the restart McFadden and Gildenhuys proceeded to put on a breathtaking show with the pair tied together with a piece of string.
Leeson and Grobler, around two seconds behind the pair, had the best seats in the house as the battle unfolded. Gildenhuys eventually won a final dash to the finish line with the two motorcycles separated by seven-thousandths of a second.
BRAKING TANGLE
The two Supersport heats were also loaded with drama and for one and a half races it looked as though the Honda team would make a clean sweep of the podium places for the second time in a row. Local hero Lance Isaacs took the first heat from team mate Clint Seller in a photo finish with teenager Cam Petersen taking third.
For five laps of race two Seller led from Isaacs and teenager in Brent Harran. Then the wheels fell off. Seller out-braked himself and then Isaacs and Harran tangled. Free State rider Ivan Torlage (Kawasaki) suddenly found himself in the lead with Petersen involved in a huge scrap with Dean Vos (Kawasaki).
In the end Torlage was a comfortable winner with Vos just pipping Petersen, for second.
The car categories could not quite match the bikers for action and drama but there was some highly interesting racing. A few bloody noses were also dished out and the BMW F30 picked up a win first time out.
BONNET BLEW IT
The premier Class A category in the Production Car series produced a mixed bag with local hero Johan Fourie (Audi S4) missing out on a hat trick in the three heats. After winning the first two Fourie was scuppered in the final race when the Audi’s bonnet came loose and the former champion lost a lap in the pits.
Fourie took the opening heat from reigning champion Michael Stephen (Audi S4) and Hennie Groenewald (Subaru WRX). The Capetonian then won heat two ahead of Etienne van der Linde in one of the new BMW F30s and the consistent Groenewald to set up a possible hat trick.
With Fourie out of the picture the final race was dominated by former champion Anthony Taylor who simply streaked away in the second of the new BMWs to give the car a victory on debut. Groenewald was in on the act again with his third podium of the day ahead of Melvill Priest (Audi S4).
Class T was totally dominated by reigning champion Gary Formato who for the second time in two seasons completed a clean sweep of wins. Formato (Ford Focus) won all three heats to take a firm early grip on the championship.
Formato’s closest championship challenger, Graeme Nathan (VW Golf6) had to be content with two second places with youngster Jaques Joubert (Golf) also making a couple of trips to the podium. The other major casualty in the championship race was Gennaro Bonafede (Golf6) who will want to forget this trip to the Fairest Cape as soon as possible.
AWESOME AUBYS
It is hard to keep the Auby clan – father Deon and sons Jimmy, Brandon and Mark – out of the V8 Supercar limelight and the family were at it again in the premier GT1 Class. Early championship leader Marc (Lumina) also had a day to forget but brothers Jimmy and Brandon and Dad rescued family pride.
Jimmy took race one ahead of Brandon (Falcons) ahead of veteran former champion Ben Morgenrood (Falcon). Race 2, from the customary inverted grid, saw Auby senior take his first win of the season after starting fifth, ahead of reigning champion Jimmy with Welkom-based Danie Correia third (Corvette).
Former champion Des Gutzeit (Falcon) and Pat Seddon (Lumina) shared the wins in the GT2 Class. Gutzeit won heat one from Seddon with the order reversed in race two with Darron Gudmanz (Corvette) and Ray Wilford (Corvette) sharing thirds.
GREAT SEASON AHEAD?
Three Engen VW Polo Cup heats brimming with hard racing produced three winners. Reigning champion Devin Robertson, rising teenage star Kelvin van der Linde and local favourite Kosie Weyers each did nothing to harm their championship credentials.
Robertson picked up a win and a second, Van der Linde a win and two thirds and Weyers a win and a second and third to get his championship back on an even keel. Kyle Barnes also chipped in with second in race two with the championship looking likely to develop into a hugely competitive affair as the season rolls on.
The Formula VW event again underlined the likelihood that the championship is going to be dominated by reigning champion Jayde Kruger, Robert Wolk and Simon Moss. Kruger won heat one from Wolk with a hiccup dropping Moss to fifth behind Tasmin Papper and Caleb Williams.
Moss then made a demon start from row three of the grid in race two and outlasted Kruger and Wolk. Williams took fourth, Nicholas van Weely fifth.
Victories were also shared in the Midas 1600 heats which also produced some intensely competitive racing. Reigning champion Mathew Merton (Mygale) snared the race one win ahead of Werner Scholtz (Mygale) and James temple in (Mygale).
Young Jason Campos (Mygale) upstaged everyone in race two with Temple edging out Merton in the battle for second and third.
RESULTS
V8 Supercars
Race 1
GT1: 1 J Auby (Ford Falcon); 2 B Auby (Ford Falcon); 3 B Morgenrood (Ford Falcon)
GT2: 1 D Gutzeit (Ford Falcon); 2 P Seddon (Chev Lumina); 3 D Gudmanz (Chev Corvette)
Race 2
GT1: 1 D Auby (Ford Falcon); 2 J Auby (Ford Falcon); 3 D Correia (Chev Corvette)
GT2: 1 P Seddon (Chev Lumina); 2 D Gutzeit (Ford Falcon); 3 R Wilford (Chev Corvette)
Bridgestone Production Cars
Race 1
Class A: 1 J Fourie (Audi S4); 2 M Stephen (Audi S4); 3 H Groenewald (Subaru WRX)
Class T: 1 G Formato (Ford Focus); 2 G Nathan (VW Golf6); 3 S Duminy (Ford Focus)
Race 2
Class A: J Fourie (Audi S4); 2 E van der Linde (BMW F30); 3 H Groenewald (Subaru WRX)
Class T: 1 G Formato (Ford Focus); 2 J Joubert (VW Golf6); 3 S Duminy (Ford Focus)
Race 3
Class A: 1 A Taylor (BMW F30); 2 H Groenewald (Subaru WRX); 3 M Priest (Audi S4)
Class T: 1 G Formato (Ford Focus); 2 G Nathan (VW Golf6); 3 J Joubert (VW Golf GTI)
Engen VW Cup
Race 1
1 D Robertson (VW Polo); 2 K Weyers (VW Polo); 3 K van der Linde (VW Polo)
Race 2
1 K van der Linde (VW Polo); K Barnes (VW Polo); 3 K Weyers (VW Polo)
Race 3
1 K Weyers (VW Polo); 2 D Robertson (VW Polo); 3 K van der Linde (VW Polo)
Formula Volkswagen
Race 1 – 1 J Kruger (FVW); 2 R Wolk (FVW); 3 T Pepper (FVW)
Race 2 – 1 S Moss (FVW); 2 J Kruger (FVW); 3 R Wolk (FVW)
Formula Midas 1600
Race 1 – 1 M Merton (Mygale); W Scholtz (Mygale); 3 J Temple (Mygale)
Race 2 – 1 J Campos (Mygale); 2 J Temple (Mygale); 3 M Merton (Mygale)
SA Supersport
Race 1
1 L Isaacs (Honda); 2 C Seller (Honda); 3 C Petersen (Honda)
Race 2
1 I Torlage (Kawasaki); 2 D Vos (Kawasaki); 3 C Petersen (Honda)
SA Superbikes
Race 1
1 D McFadden (Kawasaki); 2 G Gildenhuys (BMW); 3 N Grobler (BMW)
Race 2
1 G Gildenhuys (BMW); 2 D McFadden (Kawasaki); 3 N Grobler (BMW)