Speed kings brave the rain
MICHAEL STEPHEN CLINCHES SASOL GLOBAL TOURING LAURELS
Event hosted several races which entertained the brave crowd in wet weather.
The Zwartkops Raceway near Pretoria hosted the final round of the 2017 Extreme Festival in wet conditions on Saturday, with constant rain adding to competitors’ usual challenges.
Given the weather, a reasonably sized crowd turned up, and they were well rewarded for braving the elements.
The day’s official highlights saw Michael Stephen clinch this year’s overall Sasol Global Touring Car title, by scoring fifth place in the opening race with his Engen Xtreme Audi.
He finished behind Simon Moss (Engen Xtreme Audi), Johan Fourie (EPS Couriers BMW), Michael van Rooyen RSC BMW) and Mathew Hodges (VW Motorsport Jetta).
Race two went to Moss again, leading home Stephen, Van Rooyen, Daniel Rowe (VW Motorsport Jetta) and Hodges.
Chris Shorter (Champion MINI JCW) took the first GTC2 heat from team mate Brad Liebenberg (Ferodo MINI JCW) and Keagan Masters (VW Motorsport Golf GTI.
Masters won the next time around, ahead of Liebenberg and Shorter.
Jaki Scheckter (Drizit Lamborghini Huracan) took the first G&H Transport Extreme Supercar race from Franco Scribante (Porsche 911 Turbo) Charl Arangies (Stradale Aston Martin Vantage) and Dino Scribante (Scribante Labour Porsche 997T).
Scheckter repeated his victory in race two, again leading Franco Scribante to the flag.
This time, Dawie Joubert (Lotus Exige Honda) took the final podium place ahead of Arangies and Deon du Plessis (BPT KTM X-Bow).
Jaco Schriks (Cubed Coatings Rhema) clichéd the 2017 Hankook Formula Vee title by winning the opening race from Lushen Ramchander (Technical Rope Forza) and Siyabonga Mankonkwana (Cervinia Vee).
Schriks took race two as well, this time chased by Peter Hills (Lube Fushion Rhema) and Lendl Jansen (Formula Vee).
Veteran Iain Pepper (Huqvarna Polo) drove brilliantly to win both the Heat Exchange VW Challenge races from Stiaan Kriel (Spanjaard Polo) and Quinton Needham (Megatron Lubes Polo).
Jonathan du Toit (TAR Honda Civic) won the first autObarn SuperHatch race, beating Hilton van Nieuwenhuizen (Peugeot 207) and Brett Garland (autObarn Honda Civic).
Du Toit won race two as well, clinching the season’s title in the process. He was followed by Garland and Chris Davison (Opel Superboss).
Both the races for 111 Sports and Saloon Cars went to Wayne Masters (Performance Masters VW Polo), ahead of Paul Saayman (Intercity Auto Golf) and Louis Cloete (AMS Tuning VW Beetle).
Marnus van der Merwe ((Overtime Kawasaki ZX10R) won both the Bridgestone Thunderbike races ahead of Shaun Vermaak (Adrenaline Power Yamaha R1) and Gavin Upton (Turn Skill Kawasaki ZX10R).
Coen Erasmus (E Engineering Suzuki GSXR) won the first Bridgestone Challenge race from Joe Herbig (Grace Mugabe MV Agusta) and Kyle Tavaras (Frost Honda CBR1000).
Herbig won the next time around, leading Werner Strohm (Parrot Interactive Kawsaki) and Renaldo Marais (in a LG Interiors Kawasaki).
The next race meeting at Zwartkops will be the 17th Passion for Speed international historic car festival on January 26 and 27 next year.