National Championship motor racing comes to Port Elizabeth this weekend, when the Aldo Scribante circuit hosts the fourth round of the 2004 South African National Formula Vee Championship, along with round nine of the 2003/2004 SASCAR National Challenge, on Saturday 24 April. Circuit racing is due to commence at 10h20 and includes races for Eastern Cape Regional Saloons and Eastern Cape Motor Cycles, followed by a full afternoon of Club Drag Racing, due to commence at 13h30.
The first three rounds of the 2004 SA National Formula Vee Championship, have seen Symm Grobler (#2 Auto Mecca Rhema 2) open a comfortable points lead over Alan Holm (#4 Johannesburg Bright Steels Rhema 2), Jody Robertson (#6 Rhema) and pre season favorite Dennis Johns (#3 Goldco Midas Rhema 2). Johns has failed to finish the first heat, at any of the races held so far but remains in the hunt, with two first places and a second, plus some bonus points, for fastest lap, with his second heat performances.
Despite Grobler’s points advantage, the racing has been as close as ever and in addition to those already mentioned, Peter Hills (#5 Vacuform Rhema), Lee Thompson (#11 Rhema), ex Champion Trevor Smith, standing in for Wayne Bennett in the #10 Lafarge Readymix Rhema 2 and Anthony Taylor (#7 Vacuform Rhema), must also be considered as possible race winners, in Port Elizabeth. Not far behind, the likes of Jaco Schriks (#9 Johannesburg Bright Steels Rhema 2), Benny Phetla (#17 Vacuform Rhema) and Bradley Martin (#22 Rhema 2) can also be counted on, to give a good account of themselves. In the Rhema, Development driver Phetla has established himself as a competent, somewhat spectacular driver who is not afraid to get himself involved in a good close dice and has produced some spectacular tyre smoking out braking maneuvers, along with some hair raising slides, in the wet, at the Wesbank Raceway.
Making his Formula Vee debut at Port Elizabeth, will be fifteen year old Andre Van Der Merwe (#72 Rhema 2). An experienced Kart racer, Van Der Merwe is the current Junior Max Challenge Champion and recently represented South Africa, at the World Junior Max Challenge in Egypt.
Current Championship Points: 1 Symm Grobler 80 2 Alan Holm 61 3 Jody Robertson 55 4 Dennis Johns 44 5 Jaco Schriks 30 6 Anthony Taylor 27 7 Peter Hills 25 8 Lee Thompson 25 9 Wayne Bennett 22 10 Tony Beecher 22