There was no lack of enthusiasm in what was once again a strong field of competitors in seven national championship formulas when the Wesbank Super Series got off to a brilliant start at Zwartkops Raceway over the weekend.
Bridgestone Production Cars
The usual suspects were running at the front of the Bridgestone Production Car Championship. Michael Stephen (Xtreme Audi) drew first blood in Class A, taking the chequered flag ahead of rivals Hennie Groenewald (Subaru) and Anthony Taylor (BMW). In Class T, Graeme Nathan and Gennaro Bonafede took two VW Golf 6s home in that order, followed by defending champion Gary Formato (Ford Focus).
In the second eight-lap race, it was favour’s time to shine over the BMWs – as Etienne van der Linde (BMW) took victory ahead of team-mate Taylor and Groenewald. Bonafede progressed one position up in the Class T field as he crossed the line first, followed by debutant Jacques Joubert (VW Golf) and Formato.
The third race, a 16-lap endurance challenge, saw Van der Linde trade paint with Stephen while Taylor ran ahead to take the spoils of victory ahead of Van der Linde and Tschops Sipuka in the second Xtreme Audi. In Class T, Formato took advantage experienced by the previous front-runners and grabbed first, ahead of team-mate Shaun Duminy. Another Class T debutant Devin Robertson (Big Boss Auto Mini) took the final podium spot.
V8 Supercars
The V8 Supercars also ran two exciting races that were pretty much dominated by the Auby family. In GT1, Mark Auby and defending champion Jimmy Auby kept their Ford Falcons ahead of legend Ben Morgenrood for the first sprint. The second race was won by Brandon Auby, with Marc in second, who passed Morgenrood in the final moments of the sprint. The GT2 class saw Roelf du Plessis share the spoils with Patrick Seddon – both won heats.
Engen VW Cup
The Engen VW Cup was abuzz with the maiden national victory of 15-year old Kelvin van der Linde, who took his Ferodo Polo to victory in race two. Race one saw Van der Linde elevated to second overall behind Bryan Morgan (Frankie Polo), while Robyn Kruger (Indy Oil Polo) scored her maiden podium after Devin Robertson (Big Boss Auto Polo) was penalised three places after coming together with Jordan Pepper (PG Glass Polo). CAR magazine's Sudhir Matai made his VW Cup debut at Zwartkops and finished 16th in race one and 20th in the second heat.
Superbike
Capetonian Dave McFadden took a solid brace of victories in the Superbike category with his Pepper Racing Kawasaki, comfortably outrunning two-time champion Greg Gildenhuys’s BMW. The Supersport category, which was previously dominated by McFadden was overrun with the efforts of Clinton Sellar on the Brad Anassis Bikefin Honda, who also scored a double victory.
Formula VW
It was a similar scenario in the Formula VW category, with former Formula Ford Champ Robert Wolk finishing ahead of Simon Moss and defending champion Jayde Kruger in both races. Werner Scholtz took the first victory in the Midas Formula 1600 category, while James Temple took race two.
The next round of the Wesbank Super Series happens at Killarney raceway in Cape Town on 31 March.
