In 2003, Formula Vee racing in South Africa enters its thirty eighth year, with the World Fortieth Anniversary of this highly successful single seater category, scheduled to take place at the Road America circuit, north of Chicago, in June. The South African Formula Vee season, kicks of at Zwartkops Raceway on the 8th February and includes National races at Zwartkops, Kyalami and the new Gosforth Park Raceway in Gauteng, at Phakisa in the Free State, Killarney in Cape Town, Aldo Scribante in Port Elizabeth and the Mercedes Benz Grand Prix Circuit in East London. Six of the ten National events, will coincide with SASCAR Nationals, the balance of the SASCAR Championship events, being run on Oval Circuits. There will also be two Formula Vee Regional Championship events, one at Midvaal near Meyerton and one at Lichtenburg in the North West Province, before the season closes with the Annual Formula Vee Two Hour Endurance Race, to be run at Zwartkops on the 29th November. –
– Going into the 2003 season, this ultra competitive Volkswagen 1300cc powered single seater category, has a whole host of drivers that could be considered as favourites to take the 2003 National title. In fact there is a strong possibility, that all five of the drivers that have taken the title, for the past six years, will be in the field at some time during the course of the 2003 season, four of them with brand new cars. The 1997 and 1998 National Champion, Anthony Taylor, returns with a new Rhema 2, which ran for the first time at the Formula Vee Two Hour Endurance Race, in November 2002, while the 2000 Champion Dennis Johns is also putting together a new Rhema 2, for the 2003 season. The 2001 Champion, Lee Thompson, could also be returning to Formula Vee racing, during the course of the year, possibly with a new Lantis, while reigning National Formula Vee Champion, Trevor Smith, could possibly also be running a new Rhema 2 this year. The 1999 National Champion, Peter Hills, will continue to campaign his Sting, with the added benefit of a year of development behind him, which saw him becoming increasingly competitive, toward the end of the 2002 season. –
– Up against them, will be a number of other drivers with Championship aspirations, for 2003. Second in the 2002 SA National Formula Vee Championship, Alan Holm will be hoping that he can go one better in 2003 and to this end, JBS Racing has acquired two brand new Rhema 2s, for Alan and his team mate Jaco Schriks. Having finished third in the 2002 National Championship and with his first race win under his belt, young David Veringa also has serious Championship aspirations for 2003. Once again Symm Grobler cannot be ruled out, as a serious contender and Andre Herbst also has the ability to make a serious challenge for the title. Adding fuel to this already highly competitive mix, will be the young Karters entering the category, with a proven track record. Driving Trevor Smith’s 2002 Championship winning Rhema, will be fifteen year old Wesleigh Orr, who already has the 1998 and 1999 Junior GP and the 2000 and 2001 100 Stock, Karting National titles to his name and has finished second in the 100 Super class, in 2002. The other ex National Karting Champion, competing in Formula Vee, is the 2000 125 GP Champion, Luc Lucchesi, who should be running a new Lantis, out of Cape Town. –
– Knocking on the door and ready to take advantage of the slightest slip, from this formidable array of ex Champions, experienced campaigners and young hot shots, will be the likes of seventeen year old Jody Robertson and Jaco Schriks, both going into their third year in the category. A formidable two car team of Rhemas, will also be contesting the full 2003 season, out of Cape Town and the cars will be driven by the sixteen year old ex Western Province Karter, Wilfred Brand and Cape Town Formula Ford campaigner Ernest Viljoen. –
– As the most affordable National circuit-racing category in the country, Formula Vee offers the best opportunity for people from the previously disadvantaged population groups, to enter the sport as competitors. Having survived a major accident, in the final 2002 National Championship event at Killarney, virtually unscathed, Benny Phetla from Pretoria will be starting his third year in the category, along with Cape Town’s Romanie Smithdorf, while another Cape Town based competitor, Chris Smith, should debut the Sting which he has been building up for some time now. The category, has also acquired another young black driver, in Daview Mogane from Pretoria, who will be making his circuit racing debut in the ex Johan Viviers Alley. The young ex Karter, Hantie Goosen, has acquired the ex Geoff Tugwell Rhemega chassis for 2003 and she will be hoping for a more successful season. Hantie, along with Kim Cilliers and possibly Yolande Strydom, should provide the category with the opportunity of running three female competitors, in 2003 as well. –
– At this stage, the Formula Vee Association is still seeking the financial backing to run a formal structured Development Program, which could provide opportunities, to promote youngsters from the MSA Karting Development Program and expose them to National circuit racing, in open competition. –
– FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT KEVIN JENKINS ON CELL 083 648 4124 OR EMAIL [email protected] –
– VISIT OUR WEBSITE AT http://www.formulaveesa.org.za