Double victory for Seller
2018 SA SUPERGP CHAMPIONSHIP: RACER GETS TOP BILLING UNDER TOUGH CONDITIONS
New lap records rule a day marked with close racing and great excitement.
Motorcycle Racing Correspondent
Windy conditions, close racing and new lap records typified Saturday’s third round of the 2018 SA SuperGP championship at the East London Grand Prix circuit.
Top billing on the programme belonged to the SuperGP brigade, where defending champion Clinton Seller reigned supreme on his King Price Bikefin Yamaha R1.
Seller set the quickest two lap times in Friday afternoon’s qualifying session, to grab pole position in both of Saturday’s race heats.
He confirmed his pace in the opening race by leading from starting lights to chequered flag, with his closest adversaries Michael White (Ridgeway Sports Bar Yamaha R1), Daryn Upton (Uncle Andy Suzuki GSXR 1000), Dylan Barnard (Shop #74 Yamaha R1), Jason Lamb (Spindrift Kawasaki ZX10) and Travis Naude (Kawasaki ZX10R).
Seller repeated his victory march in race two, ahead of White, Lamb, Naude, Damion Purificati (Amalgam Welding BMW S1000), and Daryn Upton (Turnskill Engineering Suzuki GSXR1000).
Though second both times, White had the consolation of setting a new overall motorcycle lap record at the East London circuit.
Blaze Baker (King Price Bikefin Yamaha R6) took the opening Super600 race, marginally ahead of Adolf Boshoff (Uncle Andy SuzukiGSXR600).
Hayden Jonas (Samurai Yamaha R6), Byron Bester (Hi-Tech Kawasaki ZX6), Aiden Liebenberg (Shop #74 /Kawasaki ZX6) and Jared Schultz (Uncle Andy Suzuki GSXR600) filled out the top six places.
Baker won race two by a wider margin, this time setting a new East London Super600 lap record.
He led home Boshoff, Liebenberg, Bester, Brandon Staffen (AJH Cooling Kawasaki ZX6) and Jonas.
The Super300 riders tackled three races, one of which took place on Friday afternoon.
It was won by Taric van der Merwe (Evolve Nutrition Yamaha R3), ahead of Dino Iozzo (King Price Bikefin Honda), Kewyn Snyman (The Mag Workshop KTM RC390) and Dominic Doyle (Techron Systems KTM RC390).
Iozzo won Saturday’s first race from Van der Merwe, Snyman and Doyle.
The final race went to Van der Merwe, followed by Ryno Pretorious (Pretorious Blomme Yamaha R3), Iozzo and Snyman.
The BOTTS class also had three races at the event, with Thomas Brown (Rehab Racing Ducati) taking the first race win from Mick Landim(Rehab Ducati) and James Harper (Moto Uno Ducati).
Race two also went to Brown, this time from Harper and Alan Hulscher (Aldor Steel Ducati).
Hulscher took victory in the final race with Harper and Brown following him home.
Jason Lamb (Spindrift Trading Kawasaki ZX10) won both the regional races for BSMC Unlimited Superbikes
The 2018 SuperGP Champions Trophy will now head to the Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit where the SuperGP and Super600 competitors will showcase their talent as part of the Bike Festival between May 25 and 27.