Things are really starting to sizzle at the head of the field, as the 2004 South African National Formula Vee Championship moves to the Zwartkops Raceway in Pretoria West, for the seventh round of the Championship, on Saturday 21 August. It will be a full day of racing action, with something to cater for all tastes and in addition to the Formula Vee races, the event includes races, for Thundercars, VW Challenge, Formula GTi, Formula Ford, Lotus Challenge, Superhatch, Silvercup and BMW ‘S’ Cup Motorcycles, while a 24 lap race, for Legends Sports and GT Cars, rounds off the day. Racing is due to get underway, with the first heat of the BMW ‘S’ Cup Motorcycles, at 11h20, while the two National Championship Formula Vee races, are scheduled for 12h20 and 15h20.
After the Formula Vee race, at the Wesbank Raceway two weeks ago, things are really on the boil. Championship points leader Symm Grobler (#2 Auto Mecca Rhema 2) failed to win a heat, as Alan Holm (#4 JBS / Laser Sprint Rhema 2) took his first National victory of the year, in the first heat and then, an on fire Peter Hills (#5 Vacuform Rhema) stormed to victory and a new lap record, in the second heat. Add to this Lee Thompson (#11 Rhema) who was the man to beat mid season and you already have a highly combustible mixture. The return of pre season favorite and the man to beat for most of last year, Dennis Johns (#3 Goldco Midas Rhema 2), only adds more fuel to the fire and then we have not even considered the hard charging Jaco Schriks (#9 JBS / Lasersprint Rhema 2), knocking on the door of his first race win and double ex Champion Anthony Taylor (#7 Rigidek Rhema 2), leaving us with at least seven potential race winners, for the Zwartkops event!
Not far behind and getting ever closer, are the young teenage ex Karters Jonathan Vilaca (#70 Vision) and Kyle Bennett (#100 Rhema), while Cape Town’s Doug MacDonald (#28 Rhema) seems to be getting more and more competitive, as the season progresses. All this is tending to overshadow the tremendous performance of development driver Benny Phetla (#17 Vacuform Rhema), so far this year and the likes of Wayne Bennett (#10 Lafarge Readymix Rhema 2), Jannie Geyser (#18 Vision), Kevin Cartmell (#21 Rand Brake Sting), Claude Cartmell (#15 Rand Brake Sting) and Bradley Martin (#22 Rhema 2), could find themselves battling things out a little further down the field, than they where a few races ago. Making their lives more difficult, will be the return of Alan Kernick (#38 Tasman) and another ex Karter, sixteen year old Trevor Bland who made a promising Formula Vee debut at the Wesbank Raceway, in the ex Jody Robertson #63 Rhema.
Keeping them all on their toes and ready to take advantage of the slightest mistake, will be the like of Bobby Nel (#39 Lantis), Gareth Jackson (#66 JBS / Laser Sprint Sting) and Jaco Greyling (#54 Rhema). Veteran Formula Vee driver James Leach has also entered the Zwartkops event, driving the Ex Etienne Van Der Linde, Toby Scheckter, Thomas Scheckter #83 Vision and Bjorn Buchner (#78 Omega) will be having his first outing, as an official Formula Vee competitor, at this event. After a solid debut at Wesbank Raceway, Ashley Spada (#64 Omega) will be looking forward to resuming battle, with another of the Formula Vee Development drivers, Kearn Francis (#54 Proracing Rhema) and JP Nortje (#50 Sting), promising many duels and close multi car battles, not only at the head of the field, but all the way down the field as well.
Championship Points:
1 Symm Grobler 147 2 Alan Holm 115 3 Jody Robertson 90 4 Lee Thompson 84 5 Jaco Schriks 81 6 Peter Hills 68 7 Benny Phetla 51 8 Dennis Johns 44 9 Wayne Bennett 37 10 Doug MacDonald 37
