The remainder of the championship titles in the national racing circus that is the Wesbank Super Series were settled in the season finale held at Kyalami in the Midrand on Saturday. Teenage sensation Kelin van der Linde took the Engen Volkswagen Cup Championship, while Rui Campos snatched Shelby CanAm mantle and Werner Scholtz the Midas Formula 1600 title.
This was only van der Linde’s second year in the series, and the 16-year old has proved that championship potential runs in the family – his father Shaun, grandfather Hennie, and uncle Ettiene were all past circuit racing champions. The new champion (Ferodo Polo) sealed the title when he won the first heat ahead of Kyle Barnes and Jordan Pepper (PG Glass Polo), with second and third exchanging in the second heat.
“We haven’t had an easy season, we had two DNFs in Cape Town. That affected our spirits, but we had to get back up and perform – which we did this weekend. This event was about keeping our heads and finishing ahead of Devin (Robertson, 2011 champion). We were leading the championship so anything was possible and it worked in our favour,” van der Linde said.
The Midas Formula 1600 championship was also a closely run affair this year with Werner Scholtz (Motorvia/Investchem Mygale) coming into the Kyalami finale one point ahead of reigning champion Mathew Merton (Matsam Mygale). The writing was on the wall for Merton, when Scholtz took heat one ahead of James Temple and brothers Keegan and Jason Campos proved troublesome to deal with in the first and second heat respectively.
After the final event for the day, the second combined V8 Supercar and Shelby CanAm race, was called off due to a Highveld storm the Shelby Can Am title was settled unsatisfactorily. The first heat resulted in Ferdi van Niekerk taking the chequered flag ahead of Campos and the championship settled with Campos having a one-point advantage on Brain Algar. Ben Morgenrood won the only V8 Supercar race, with Darron Gudmanz winning the GT Class win.
Engen Volkswagen Cup
1. Kelvin van der Linde – 429 points
2. Devin Robertson – 367
3. Jordan Pepper – 332
4. Kyle Barnes – 331
5. Kosie Weyers – 287
6. Mark Silverwood – 283
7. Jeffrey Kruger – 271
8. Chad van Beurden – 235
Bridgestone Production Cars Class A
1. Michael Stephen – 255 points
2. Hennie Groenewald – 222
3. Anthony Taylor – 207
4. Ettiene van der Linde – 180
5. Melvill Priest – 149
6. Tschops Sipuka – 133
7. Johan Fourie – 75
8. Darren Lobb – 34
Bridgestone Production Cars Class T
1. Graeme Nathan – 256 points
2. Gary Formato – 189
3. Jacques Joubert – 142
4. Shaun Duminy – 133
5. Lee Thompson – 128
6. Gennaro Bonafede – 106
7. Michael van Rooyen – 91
8. Gavin Cronje – 84
Formula Volkswagen
1. Jayde Kruger – 165 points
2. Simon Moss – 147
3. Nicholas van Weely – 74
4. Ernie van der Walt – 59
5. Robert Wolk – 56
6. Alberto Carello – 45
7. Nicholas Chapman – 44
8. Tasmin Pepper – 36
Formula Midas 1600
1. Werner Scoltz – 138 points
2. Matthew Merton – 119
3. James Temple – 117
4. Jason Campos – 112
5. Keegan Campos – 54
6. Graham Hepburb – 47
7. Christopher Shorter – 29
8. Rick Morris – 27
Superbike Motorcycle National Championship
1. Greg Gildenhuys – 348 points
2. Nicolas Grobler – 258
3. Chris Leeson – 244
4. David McFadden – 240
5. Ryan Ottens – 180
6. Robert Portman – 145
7. Stephen Steenkamp – 109
8. Ryan van Aswegen – 92
Supersport Motorcycle National Championship
1. Clint Seller – 277 points
2. Lance Isaacs – 219
3. Brent Harren – 219
4. Cam Petersen – 189
5. Dean Vos – 189
6. Steven Odendaal – 166
7. Ivan Torlage – 155
8. Nicolas Kershaw – 117
