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Cape Pro Tour Day of the Doubles
22 Mar 2009
Venter, Merton, Lobb, Thompson, Levy & Maritz all do the double at Killarney Pro Tour Opener |
The popular Pro-Tour National championship series opened at Cape Town’s picturesque Killarney circuit whers a large crowd was treated to some of the best racing seen for many a month.
Toby Venter, Mathew Merton and Darryn Lobb all scored double wins in their respective Altech GT, Investchem Formula Ford and Hollard Can Am races to get their sasons off to a perfect start. The double-win frenzy stretched through to the Lee Thompson in the VW Challenge, Armein Levy' in the V8 Masters and Danie Maritz in the Kawasaki Cup...
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Venter Untroubled as Usual
Mr. Porsche Venter won the first Altech GT race at a canter in his mighty Le Mans GT1 Porsche 911 GTR. Oscar de Oliveira had a good run to second in his Ferrari 430 Challenge with Laurent Gross third in his Porsche GTR, Mike Wilson fourth in his Porsche 911 GT3 Cup, Franco Scribante and Jeremy Pougnet in a pair of Ferrari 360s
Venter beat Gross, Pougnet and Wilson in the combined Can Am Race 2, with Christo Lindeque and Miller fifth and sixth in their Ferrari 360s.
Jeremy Pougnet took his first overall class win in Class B with Mike Wilson in the Fine Metals 997 Porsche GT3 Cup in second ahead of seven other Ferrari’s in the class, while Barry Neltook overall victory in Class C in the B-Tech racing Porsche 944 Turbo Cup followed by Nicky Dicks in the Curvent 996 Porsche GT3 Cup.
Anthony Blunden in a Porsche 911 RSR took overall victory in Class D in his debut drive in the Altech GT Challenge Series, after failing to qualify, which was an impressive recovery for the “Rookie”. Charl Arangies was 2nd overall in class, followed by the Cape entry Porsche 917 of Ferdi van Niekerk. Dave Fourie, Altech Porsche champion in 2007 finished 4th overall after a poor second heat and a spin which ended a competitive day for him.
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A Rare Shared Spoil
The popular Altech Porsche Club 924 Challenge handicap series which has run for a number of seasons once again saw a close finish. Mark Saunders took the chequered flag ahead of Greg Parton but it was Greg Parton who had the last laugh when Mark was disqualified for exceeding his break-out time.
Piet “Slick” Nortje incurred the wrath the MSA stewards when he dropped oil all over the circuit receiving a hefty fine for the misdemeanour.
Heat 2 saw Braam van Niekerk break the spate of double victories on the day to take a well earned victory after a mixed bag of results in 2008. Marius Wait finished second and Greg Parton managed a third.
After recovering from heat 1 “Slick” Nortje and a tube of Pratley putty re-built his motor and finished a respectable 4th in the race.
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Merton Masters the Cape
Mathew Merton got his assault on the Investchem Formula Ford championship off to a perfect start as he also took two convincing wins.
Driving the Matsam Supplies backed Mygale, he started from second on the grid as pole position was claimed by the Magnificent Paints Van Diemen of Nicholas van Weely.
Van Weely led from the start with Merton glued to his exhaust but on lap two Van Weely spun entering the first corner and dropped to the back of the field. That left Merton with a handy lead and he went on to win by eight seconds.
Werner Scholtz (Investchem Mygale) was promoted to second, but spun and dropped behind Dean Hirschowitz (Knightsbridge Investment Mygale). A lap later it was Hirschowitz’s turn to go off the track which gave the runner-up position back to Scholtz as Hirschowitz recovered to finish third ahead of James Temple (Mygale).
A controlled drive saw Jayde Kruger win the Zetec Challenge class with fifth place in the Knottsberry Foods Mygale as van Weely fought back superbly to take sixth.
Race two saw Merton lead off the line but van Weely soon took over at the front and led until a coming together with Merton on lap seven saw him retire and Merton take his second win. This time it was Hirschowitz who got second with Temple a solid third.
Kruger was fourth, and again the Zetec Challenge winner, with Scholtz in fifth ahead of visiting British Formula Ford legend Rick Morris (Investchem Mygale) who was runner-up in the Zerec Challenge class.
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The Dominant Cape Lobbster
The Shelby Can-Am event saw former champion Darryn Lobb (DK Woodcraft) take two wins, each time ahead of current Champion Rui Campos (Hugo Boss) who kept him under pressure throughout.
They set such a pace in the opening race that they pulled away from the pack at the rate of over a second per lap and were 12-seconds clear of third placed Jean Paul Bredenhann (Panel-Rite) by the end of the 10-lap race. A brilliant three car battle for fourth saw Brian Algar (Thuthuka Welding) get the verdict by less than half a second from local ace Bertil Hoffman (IOU Music) with Sean Greve (Vulcania Reinforcing) a car length adrift.
As in the past, race two was combined with the GT Challenge which saw Toby Venter’s thoroughbred Le Mans spec Porsche 911 GT2 take the outright win as Lobb drove a tactical race to come through the field to claim the Shelby Can-Am win with second overall.
Alan Eve (Phakisa) led the Shelby charge initially and was an eventual third as another sensible drive netted fourth for Bredenhann who managed to get the Porsche of Laurent Gross between himself and Algar while Greve claimed the points for sixth.
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Also on the program were Goldwagen Volkswagen, local V8 Masters and Red Square Kawasaki races. Lee Thompson won the first VW race from category veterans George Economedes and Wayne Masters' Golfs and repeated the deed in the second race from brother Quenton and Ray Wilford.
Armein Levy won the first Masters heat from Charles Arton and Alan de Goede, with Levy repeating his win in the second race from Dawie Joubert and Arton.
There was another double victor in the two 10-lap Red Square Kawasaki ZX10R Masters Cup races as home town hero Danie Maritz was ahead of Gavin Lightfoot (Execuline/Emtek).
Third in the opening race was Pieter de Vos (Essential Hardware) with four seconds to spare before Jayson Lamb (Buffalo Motorcycles) as Joe Shearer ((O’Mage) and Sergio da Silva completed the top six.
Lightfoot led the early laps of race two before Maritz used his home track advantage to haul him in and take the lead at half distance as the pair finished well clear of De Vos who was third again.
Fourth went to Lamb while Delvin Pearce (T&M Design) pipped Shearer for fifth place.
Round two of the Pro-Tour series takes place at Zwartkops near Pretoria 18 April.
- Images by Patrick Vermaak, Roth Alves & Wrath Wix
PREVIEW - ALTECH GT CHALLENGE
Gran Turismo Opener
Circuit racing hits Killarney in Cape Town Saturday with Altech GT, Can Am and Formula Ford topping the bill.
Since 2006 the Altech Porsche Challenge has been the pinnacle event in the popular series and the brigade of high-end brands promise nothing less for 2009.
Altech has continued its support for local motorsport, but there is one significant change for 2009 with the series name evolving to more accurately represent the exotic line up as Altech GT Challenge. The Altech Porsche Club 924 Challenge, which is run on a handicap system, will also compete at all eight rounds of the Pro Tour.
Killarney’s fast and bumpy back straight will make for spectacular viewing as over thirty Altech GT Challenge cars reach some of the highest speeds we’ll see all year. If that is not enough to excite then the sound of the legendary Porsche flat-six lump, wailing Ferraris and deceptively quiet Lotus’ will provide a sensory overload.
Spearheading the Class A way should be Toby Venter’s brutal Porsche 993 GT2R, Charl Jourbert’s supercharged Lotus Exige and the Porsche 997 GT2 of Laurent Gross. But, just as there are no guarantees that the Cape South Easter won’t blow, you can’t exclude the in-depth track knowledge that the local Cape racers have.
With no less than seven Ferraris and a handful of Porsches, Class B is the Altech GT Challenge’s largest class and competition will be frantic. Jeremy Pougnet, Andrew Miller, Franco Scribante, Nick Chapman and Rudi Botha fly the flag for the Tifosi with a horde of Ferrari 360 Challenges while the Ferrari 430 Challenge model is represented by Christo Lindeque and Loris Chiappa. Porsche aren’t left out of the game either but the Rod Cole-Edwards Porsche 993 RSR and Mike Wilson Porsche 997 GT3 Cup are going to have their hands full.
Lotus brings two cars to the Class C fight with Wayne Waldeck piloting an Exige S and Dawie Joubert in a similar car – only the latter makes use of an old BMW Touring Car power supply. A host of 993 and 996 Porsches will be on the pace but of special interest will be the progress of the turbocharged 6-cylinder Porsche 917 replica driven by Ferdi van Niekerk. This car replicates one of the most successful racing cars of all time, exactly forty years later.
Class D is filled exclusively by Porsche models but pits front and rear engine thought against each other. Dave Fourie, Ferdi van Niekerk (Jnr) and Jochen Weida represent the rear-engined brigade with a 911 RSR, 911 and 997 Carrera S respectively, while Barry Nel and Charl Arangies make use of some well balanced and nimble 944s. Pierre Martins also goes the front-engined Porsche route in Class E but substitutes 4-cylinders for eight with a wide looking 928SR.
With vast speed differentials a common sight in Altech GT Challenge, backmarkers and how quickly competitors slice through them could determine the outcome. Being decisive and steering clear of any trouble is a must for competitors and also makes for spectacular action.
As the Altech Porsche Club 924 Challenge suggests, this formula caters exclusively for Porsche 924 models. To determine starting positions drivers will nominate a lap time they believe they will not exceed.
The competitors are then sent off at calculated intervals with the slowest nominated time going off first and the fastest last. In theory, if every competitor laps at their nominated time the entire field should cross the finish line at the same time. To negate any sandbagging a driver will be disqualified for going quicker than his nominated lap time.
With Killarney not a local stomping ground for many Altech 924 Porsche Club Challenge competitors, nominated lap times are bound to broken so the winner could well not be the first across the line. This bodes well for the championship as those that get to grips with the track fastest will more than likely get their 2009 Altech Porsche Club 924 Challenge season off to a flying start.
HOLLARD CAN AM
Can Am Can!
Shelby Can-Am is South Africa’s only sports car championship also kicks of at Killarney circuit on Saturday and as usual the two Hollard Insurance sponsored races will provide action all the way.
Although the championship hasn’t yet started, the series was a support act at the Go-GP.org A1GP event at Kyalami, and it was action all the way until the day ended with a spectacular nine-car accident at the start of the second race.
Former champion Ruan Pretorius was back for Kyalami but business commitments will keep him away from Killarney. He won at Kyalami but reigning champion Rui Campos (Hugo Boss), was able to keep him honest is duly the favourite in Cape Town.
2007 champion Darryn Lobb (DK Woodcraft) raced a Nissan 350Z in Production Cars last season but is back in Shelby Can-Am and determined to win. Alan Eve (Phakisa)is one of South Africa’s most experienced racers and can never be underestimated.
Brian Algar (Thuthuka Welding) is always near the front and a win can’t be far away and the same applies to Sean Greve (Vulcania Reinforcing) who is also consistent.
Dave Beattie is another driver quite capable of winning and the distinctively liveried DURA backed car is always sniffing at the sharp end of the field. Former Porsche racer Thomas Reib (Intertrans) scored a well deserved win at Zwartkops last year and says he’ll be adding to his tally in 2009.
Also not to be discounted is Craig Shorter (Execuline) whose season is more often than not compromised by business commitments, but when he is on the track he gives a good account of himself.
Durban’s JP Bredenhann (PanelRite) has previous experience of Shelby Can-Am machinery having finished eighth in the 2007 championship despite missing almost half the season.
Cape Town ace, Dutch racer Bertil Hofmann had some good outings in the IOU Music backed car last season and could surprise the established front runners this year. He wants nothing less than a win, especially since his close friend Jeroen Bleekemolen won the A1GP sprint race for Team Holland.
Colin Frost (Strocam Engineering) is as reliable as Cape Town’s winds and his thoughtful approach to racing together with a well prepared car sees him in the points at almost every race.
Durban’s Sun Moodley (Big Foot Express) made his racing debut last year and thoroughly enjoys his racing. He gets faster with each race as does Hanno Pengilly (Azura Retreats).
Richard Wood is a stalwart of sports car racing in South Africa and his wealth of technical knowledge has been a great help to struggling rivals over the years.
A newcomer to the series is Capetonian historic racing enthusiast and Porsche Challenge racer Rudi Patoir (Destiny Seating) who scored a magnificent win at the recent David Piper Historic event at Killarney and he could surprise a few of the regulars.
An unknown quantity is Durban driver Andrew Strike makes his circuit motorsport debut at Killarney with numerous Porsche Club events behind his name.
INVESTCHEM FORMULA FORD
Ford Action Guaranteed at Killarney
Being a support act for the South African A1GP was a big boost for the Investchem Formula Ford championship. Not only was the racing spectacular, but it also gave drivers a chance to blow off the cobwebs before the serious business of scoring points began.
2008 championship runner-up Nicholas van Wheely (Magnificent Paints Van Diemen) lines up for round one of the Investchem Formula Ford championship as favourite, but there’s a whole bunch of drivers who are eager for their first win.
Pretoria based Werner Scholtz has one win behind his name and this year he’s driving the Chemical Logistics Mygale that Robbie Wolk won the title in last year so he’s a contender for a win.
Mathew Merton in the Matsam Supplies Mygale has been close to winning in the past. He was the fastest qualifier in Cape Town last year and is looking forward to taking it one step further.
Another young driver starting out in a circuit racing career is 15-year-old James Temple. He came straight out of karts for the last two races of last season where he sensationally scored a superbly judged third place at the final race and he went well at the A1GP event.
20-year-old Dean Hirschowitz in the Nightsbridge supported Mygale is a driver likely to go far. He’s confident, maybe arrogant, but the bottom line is that he’s hell bent on being successful and he showed a lot of talent in PE when he raced a Formula Volkswagen and using Formula Ford to gain experience.
Another Formula VW competitor who has seen the benefits of Formula Ford as a learning category is Ian Young who recently acquired the Mygale driven to victory at Kyalami by Jayde Kruger and will make his Formula Ford debut at Killarney.
A championship within a championship is the Zetec Challenge for older cars which use harder compound Avon tyres.
Driving the Les Donnees Mygale, is current champion Allen Meyer but with British Formula Ford legend Rick Morris (Investchem Mygale) also in the field Meyer will not have it his own way.
Barry Harrison (Bravo Mygale)has been on form lately and could upset the applecart while Adreas Petrou (Chemical Logistics Mygale) is always a threat and it will be interesting to see howfar up the order Ian Schofield (Investchem Mygale) will be on his return to Cape Town after an absence of 4-years. Other drivers to watch in this battle are the ever consistent Paul Schultz (Knottsberry Foods Mygale) and Tony Sack in the Sissy Boy Mygale while Pieter Lotriet might return to the fray.
Formula Ford has a reputation for producing good racing and Saturday’s races are bound to be full of action.
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