The fifth round of the Northern Regions Rotax Kart Championships concluded over the weekend of the 9/10th August. Toyota Gazoo Racing’s Junior Academy (TGRJA) secured podium finishes across all three classes its drivers competed in despite having fewer drivers present due to some of them taking part in national circuit racing duties.
Jason Coetzee, a hopeful for the regional and national championships, finished as the runner-up in an event he primarily used to prepare for the upcoming national championship. After securing pole position on Saturday, the Cape Town-based driver claimed two runner-up finishes before ending his day on a high note with a victory, ultimately finishing second overall.
Emma-Rose Dowling, competing in a competitive Junior MAX field of 12 drivers, was impressed early when she qualified in third on Saturday morning. From there, she improved to take the opening heat as the runner-up for her season’s best finish. While she repeated that feat in the final race, she was unfortunate to finish sixth in Heat 2 following an incident that saw her drop from second to ninth before putting in a gritty fightback to miss out on the top-five.
Tshepang Shisinwana kept his regional championship hopes alive after securing the Mini MAX pole position and winning two heats on Saturday. Although he initially dropped to fourth place at the start of the final heat, his determination and skill helped him secure a hard-fought second place, allowing him to claim the overall victory and have the best preparation possible for the final national event in a few weeks.
While three rounds of the regional competition remain, with the next one scheduled for 17 August, the final round of the South African Rotax MAX Challenge is scheduled for a return to Zwartkops Kart Raceway on 30-31 August.
Published by: Karabo Sethusha
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