Wesbank Raceway’s Autumn Race Meeting, on the 6th March, hosts the second round of the 2004 South African National Formula Vee Championship. Racing gets underway, with the first heat of the Formula Vee race, at 10h25 and the full fourteen race program, includes races for the V8 SASCARs, having their only event of the 2003/2004 season, on the Wesbank Raceway’s 2.6 Km Road Circuit, the DK Porsche Challenge Unlimited Class, the DK Porsche 924 Challenge, Thundercars, Lotus Challenge and 250cc Super Karts.
After a dramatic opening race, at the Zwartkops Raceway, the battle lines have been drawn and the Formula Vee competitors will be out to capitalize on their results, from that event, or make amends for the opportunities squandered there. At the Wesbank Raceway, a number of competitors should be battling for victory and they include the likes of the current Formula Vee Northern Regions Champion Symm Grobler (#2 Auto Mecca Rhema 2), the 2000 Formula Vee National Title holder Dennis Johns (#3 Goldco Midas Rhema 2), Alan Holm (#4 Johannesburg Bright Steels Rhema 2), eighteen year old Jody Robertson (#6 Rhema) and the 1997 and 1998 National Formula Vee Champion Anthony Taylor (#7 Vacuform Rhema 2).
Holm has a new car for 2004, as does his team mate Jaco Schriks (#9 Johannesburg Bright Steels Rhema 2) and at Zwartkops, Schriks gave notice, that in the new car, he could become a force to be reckoned with as well. Not far behind the lead bunch, we should see the likes of Wayne Bennett (#10 Lafarge Readymix Rhema 2), Claude Cartmell (#15 Rand Brake Sting), Benny Phetla (#17 Dulux Rhema), Kevin Cartmell (#21 Rand Brake Sting) Bradley Martin (#22 Rhema 2), Nico Blignaut (#24 Gilus IT Rhema) and Tony Beecher (#27 Lazer TB1). Other potential front runners, that could be making their first appearance of the year, include the 2001 Formula Vee National Title holder Lee Thompson (#11 Rhema), veteran triple National Formula Vee Champion Gawie Gouws (#47 Mantis), the 1999 National Formula Vee Champion Peter Hills (#5 Vacuform Rhema) and Ben Pienaar (#14 BJ Pro Welding Rhema).
The Zwartkops race also produced some good close battles, further down the field and the likes of Manie Geldenhuys (#49 Lagus), Kearn Francis (#52 Rhema), John Lerm (#55 Save the Jackal Sting), Bobby Nel (#74 DK Office Furniture Lantis) and newcomer Rion Lerm (#83 Vision), can all be counted on, to give of their best.
Current National Championship Points:
1 Symm Grobler 28 2 Jody Robertson 22 3 Alan Holm 18 4 Dennis Johns 15 5 Tony Beecher 12 6 Bradley Martin 11 7 Anthony Taylor 10 8 Kevin Cartmell 10 9 Wayne Bennett 9 10 Jaco Schriks 8
