Peter Lindenberg (#2 Mack Trucks/Goodyear RAM) extended his lead in the race for 2003/4 SASCAR National Challenge Series by over 50 points when he took a first place overall for the 7th round of the series held on Saturday 21 February at the Killarney circuit and opened up a sizable gap on the Cape town racer Kosie Swanepoel (#3 Wynns/Lindenberg Racing). –
– The race for the title has been dominated by Lindenberg and Swanepoel from almost the very first race with the occasional cameo performance by drivers like Johan Fourie and Rob Beaumont (#69 Tyco Trucking) keeping the top dogs alert to the fact that the V8 aces behind them were just waiting for the opportunity to streak by and upset the applecart. –
– Going into the Cape Town race the series was poised delicately between Lindenberg and his team-mate Swanepoel and neither the local lad or the Joburg boy were showing any sign of nerves as the days racing got underway in sweltering conditions. In the mornings qualifying it was Deon Auby (#96 Team Tyco Trucking) who showed a clean pair of heels (or is that brake lights?) to take pole position ahead of Swanepoel and Lindenberg. Amongst the junior racers in their 350hp SASCARS it was Auby’s son Jimmy Auby (#J20 The Glen Mica) who again showed his quality in qualifying ahead of his brother Marc (#J46 Freightliner) and team-mate Kurt Bakewell (#J11 All-steel services). The juniors who race in 350hp SASCARS are fast proving that South African motorsport is in good hands and are achievers both on and off the track with the young Bakewell a provincial water polo star and deputy head boy of Edenvale High and Ross Lazarus(#J10 Valvoline/Lindenberg Racing) is the Head boy of Crawford College in Pretoria. –
– The first 10 lap heat proved to be an uneventful one with Swanepoel overtaking Auby on lap two with the hard charging Lindenberg making his move on lap five to move into second place and that was how they finished as Lindenberg closed to within a couple of car lengths but was not able to get past the cape racer for the win. The juniors ran to form with the Auby brothers taking a one two finish while Ross Lazarus slid by a disappointed Bakewell who slipped off the track for a moment allowing a watchful Lazarus by. –
– The second heat saw the V8 monsters line up for the second of the 10 lap heat and the crowd were soon thrilled by the close quarter combat they were to witness. With Swanepoel leading from pole position and Lindenberg chasing him they soon opened up a gap on the rest of the field and proceeded to go hammer and tongs at one another, Lindenberg soon made things uncomfortable for his team-mate as he sat all over his rear putting the pressure on him just waiting for a mistake and when it came on lap seven Lindenberg took full advantage. –
– “I knew that if I crowded Kosie and stayed in his rear-view mirror he was going to make a mistake and I was right when he lost it in the corner and I knew I had him so I stuck to his tail like a moffie and when he lost it again I went by him like a shot,” said a clearly psyched up Lindenberg. –
– Seeing Lindenberg go by must have destroyed Swanepoel’s confidence as he quickly fell of the pace and had to watch Deon Auby, Jimmy Auby and a very happy Nick De Jong (#26 Sponsor needed) go by as he settled for an eventual fifth place. –
– “This win sets me up very nicely for the title with only three races to go and all of them up in Johannesburg at my home track at WesBank Raceway but I will be taking nothing for granted because a lot can happen in motor racing,” finished Lindenberg. –
– There are only three rounds to go in the current season and with two of them taking place on Lindenberg’s preferred 1km tri-oval the other racers will know that this icon of adrenaline sport will not easily be turned from his goal know that he has the winning scent in his nose. –
– However all of the drivers and their teams will be mindful of the fact that a couple of good results in the seasons run in will see them grab an even bigger share of the 1 million rand prize kitty that has been put up by SASCAR Series sponsors The House of Bonne Cuisine, Nationwide Airlines, WesBank Raceway, Goodyear, Carnival City and Hand – e. –
– Deon Auby who was forced to use his team mate Robert Bakewell’s (#55 Team DAF) car after damaging his clutch in the first heat summed it up saying ,” with three races left there is still a lot at stake for the teams, pride, final places and the prize money,”. –
– The 8th round of the 2003/4 SASCAR Series takes place on Saturday 6 March at WesBank Raceway in Ekurhuleni. –
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