Talent preview: VW Cup for Zwartkops

With three rounds of remaining, the battle for points continues to rage in Engen Volkswagen Cup championship. Round 6 will see competitors at the Zwartkops Raceway, Centurion on August 30.

The Volkswagen Polo Vivos of Daniel Rowe and team mate Sheldon van der Linde are separated by just five points. Dewald Brummer, in third, will attempt to close the 10-point gap between himself and Rowe/Van der Linde.

In fourth and fifth are Tasmin Pepper and Trevor Bland, the latter leading the Masters championship, with Mathew Hodges in second.

‘SHOWING HOW GOOD THEY ARE’

Mike Rowe, head of VW Motorsport, said: "This series was established as a learning opportunity for South Africa's motorsport talent. As a single-make series that does not allow much change from the basic specification, it pits the drivers against one another rather than relying on technology or extra power.

“This creates a situation where drivers must learn to drive at their best to achieve and the results of the programme have become quite evident in SA motorsport circles with ex-cup competitors showing just how good they are - and how successful the idea for this series has been."

MOTORSPORT STARS

Former cup competitors contine to impress in the Production Car championship as Michael Stephen, Gennaro Bonafede, Simon Moss and Hennie Groenewald contest Class A. Class T sees Graham Nathan, Michael van Rooyen, Lee Thompson, Ryan Rhode, Mandla Mdakan competing.

In the National Rally championship, Leeroy Poulter is overall leader in the fight for the title. Internationally, Kelvin van der Linde, older brother of Sheldon, has made headlines with his victory in the Scirocco R-Cup and his progress in the ADAC GT Masters.

According to VW: “Kelvin finally qualified to get his SA driving licence just this week (August 2014).”

Jordan Pepper made headlines by winning the Scirocco R-Cup title, the second SA victory in the series for the previous two seasons.

Jeffrey Kruger is contesting the Castrol Cup in which he completed the Autodrom Most round in the Czech Republic in August 2014. He is second overall in the standings.