Sabat Batteries Racing’s David Veringa consolidated his lead in both the SA and Northern Regions Formula Vee championships at Welkom’s Phakisa Freeway last weekend with a workmanlike drive to second overall for the day in spite of a down on power engine. –
– David qualified a lower than usual fifth and was concerned that a down on power engine in the Sabat Rhema VW would cost him dear. “We are down on power,” Veringa rued. “It’s going to be a bit of a battle to keep up today.” Dennis Johns had set a searing pace and started from pole position from fellow Vee veterans Alan Holm and Peter Hills and another young gun, Jody Robertson.-
– Johns’ qualifying pace was no fluke as he disappeared into the distance to win from Hills and a relieved Veringa. “I never thought I’d be so happy with a third place, but today I am,” a relieved Veringa confirmed. “We’re down on power, but we’ve successfully defended our title lead…-
– It was a case of deja vu up front in race two as Johns played with his rivals to rack up a double for the day. Behind, David Veringa made a rare error and went off while dicing for second with Grobler and Robertson, but he rejoined to end fourth behind the battling Robertson who grabbed second and Grobler.-
– “We got away lightly,” Sabat’s Veringa confirmed. “We were battling with power and I made a mistake, which luckily didn’t cost me much, but we’re still out front in both championships, so in all, it was a satisfactory weekend.”-
– Formula Vee is South Africa’s top feeder formula for single seater racing – the likes of SA’s 1979 World Champion Jody Scheckter cut his teeth in Vees, as did his son Tomas who today campaigns in the US IndyCar series. Sabat Batteries’ support of young Veringa is paying dividends too, as David leads the title race midway through the year in one of the most competitive racing environments in Africa…-
– Phakisa Formula Vee races – Overall Results-
– 1. Dennis Johns-
– 2. David Veringa-
– 3. Jody Robertson-
– 2003 SA Formula Vee National Challenge Points after Phakisa:-
– 1. David Veringa 132 points-
– 2. Alan Holm 110 points-
– 3. Peter Hills 109 points-
– 4. Symm Grobler 102 points-
– 2003 Formula Vee Northern Regions Championship Points after Phakisa:-
– 1. David Veringa 111 points-
– 2. Peter Hills 101 points-
– 3. Symm Grobler 92 points-
– 4. Alan Holm 78 points