What Global Touring Cars Final Round 7 Preview
Where Zwartkops Raceway, Pretoria
When Saturday 14 October 2023
Community South Africa National
Title battles across the board for Chemical Logistics Racing
Chemical Logistics Racing heads to the Zwartkops Global Touring Car finale with it all to do on Saturday 14 October. Not only does double reigning champion Robert Wolk arrive in Pretoria in a tight 3-point championship lead with only those two races left to run, but teammate, Andrew Rackstraw is fighting for third, while Julian van der Watt and Josh Le Roux are in their own scrap for sixth.
Wolk’s season started slow, but he has emerged the dominant force in the last two races to come from behind to head to Zwartkops a scant three points clear of championship archrival Saood Variawa’s factory Toyota. “We scored a splendid team success in Cape Town last time out to steal the championship lead going onto this weekend’s finale,” Robert confirmed. “Now it’s all to do at Zwartkops, where there’s already no room for error and the championship fight is closer than close!
“My incredible team has spent a lot of effort to make sure that my Chemical Logistics BMW M128ti is right on point for the weekend. We enjoyed a good test at Zwartkops in the lead up and we are ready for battle to wrest an incredible hat trick of South African Global Touring Car championships. Let’s do this – may the best man win!”
Whatever the championship action around him, satellite teammate Andrew Rackstraw has his own point to prove aboard his LTR Sparco Volkswagen Golf GTC. Now a two-time winner at home at Killarney following his feature race victory there last time out, Rackstraw is keen to add another racetrack to his GTC winning list as he chases third place in the 2023 championship. “I love Zwartkops and nobody knows what will happen there this weekend,” Andrew pointed out. “So, if we can win a race and try steal that championship third, it will be a great end to an occasionally challenging season!”
The other two Chemical Logistics Racing drivers are involved in their own gripping title fight for sixth. Rookie Josh Le Roux has shown great pace and even won a race, despite driving a slower, older spec Master Stairs Investchem Audi S3 in his rookie GTC season, to sit sixth in the title chase. Veteran teammate Julian van der Watt however missed two rounds early in the season following his horrific Kyalami crash, but he’s shown great mettle to return from injury and deliver a convincing performance. That culminated with van der Watt handing the second Killarney victory to teammate Wolk on the final lap.
The upshot of all that is Julian’s Chemical Logistics Corolla now sits just five points behind Joshua’s Audi in the title chase. “I need a perfect weekend and a great reverse grid result to hold Julian off on the championship,” Josh admitted. “Most of all, I just want to enjoy a great day of racing to close off a season where I have learned so much!” His elder teammate is of similar persuasion, but he’s also looking for payback after his Killarney charity. “It would be very good to close this dramatic race season off with a win,” Julian grinned. “It’s been a tough one so that would just be the cherry on top!”
“Arriving at a championship finale with so much to play for and so little between the rivals is always a nerve wracking affair!” Chemical Logistics Racing’s WCT Engineering team boss Stuart Thompson shrugged. “But we’ve done it before and we know we can do it again, Rob has been on top of things in recent races and we arrive with a small advantage, so let’s see where this one goes. Andrew has the shoe on the other foot chasing for third and Josh and Julian have a very interesting weekend coming up. Bring it on!”
“All the Chemical Logistics Racing lads have it all to do this weekend,” team boss Ian Schofield concluded. “It’s nothing we have not done before and as Stuart says, it’s going to be an interesting one. Good luck guys, let’s bring it home!”
Issued on behalf of Chemical Logistics GTC
Photography by: Abri de Bruyn
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