Veteran racer Russell Wood bade his fans farewell in front of a packed Kyalami circuit on Saturday before the younger riders showed off the sort of talent available in local Superbike action.
Veteran racer Russell Wood bade his fans farewell in front of a packed Kyalami circuit on Saturday before the younger riders showed off the sort of talent available in local Superbike action.
Wood, 14-times South African champion, completed a lap of honour ahead of the final rounds of the year’s championship after 25 years in the sport.
When racing resumed following the qualifying session, already-crowned champion Hudson Kennaugh (Cell C Suzuki) started the first race from pole position, joined at the start by First Technology Honda riders Shaun Whyte, Sheridan Morias and Arushen Moodley.
Moodley blasted into the lead, but was red-flagged one lap into the race when Greg Dreyer crashed his Yamaha heavily coming out of Nashua corner. Dreyer had to retire from the race after suffering a concussion and a broken wrist.
At the restart, Kennaugh took the lead and remained there to the end, followed by Morias, Whyte and Moodley. Trevor Crookes (Cell C Suzuki) finished fifth, ahead of privateer Charles Grassie (Bike SA/USN Suzuki), Robert Cragg (Cedar Vadec Kawasaki) and Noel Haarhoff (Imtech Suzuki).
Graeme van Breda (Kreepy Krauly Bioguard Yamaha) and Lance Isaacs (Mecer Ducati) both fell victim to the blistering pace, crashing out of the race but luckily without injury.
The second race started on a damp circuit and Arushen Moodley again grabbed an early lead on his Honda. He was sent off course a lap later after hitting a wet patch and allowed Morias and Kennaugh through to do battle at the front.
Kennaugh chased Morias relentlessly over the next eight laps. Twice they charged down the fearsome Kyalami Mineshaft side by side at over 230 km/h with Morias emerging in front on both occasions. Both riders had the Kyalami crowd on its feet with their displays of sliding sideways into corners and smoking rear tyres on exit.
In the end, Morias crossed the finish line half a second ahead of Kennaugh, followed by Shaun Whyte, Trevor Crookes, a recovered Arushen Moodley, and Kawasaki riders Robert Cragg and Stewart MacLeod.
