Cold and wet conditions certainly led to some interesting discussions leading into the fifth round of the regional racing championships. A level 5 weather warning saw the Kaltron Fine Cars opting to withdraw from the event entirely and some doubt existed as to whether the event would be able to run at all.
But, it was still only a fair warning for weather that might happen, and Friday evening saw quite pleasant weather for the Denis Joubert 90th celebration function in the aptly named Denis Joubert Pits. Many an interesting name present for a memorable occasion.
Sunrise at 07h42 was followed by the start of the Formule Libre race at 08h00 and with a nineteen race itinerary the day would certainly face some challenges as the weather remained something of a mystery early morning. There would be some changes come the second heat of the Laude Classic cars at 17h30.
Yes, the days may be longer, but somebody left the thermostat outside and 14ºC maximum with a wind chill had OBS in short demand.
Formula Libre 2×10 Laps
08h00 start on a very cold and damp circuit saw everyone going soft on suspension and tyre pressures. Some of the cars actually looked as though they were running with no air in their tyres. With some key players racing elsewhere nine drivers qualified and eleven would take to the first heat start.
Dee-Jay Booysen cruised to an easy victory in his 20S Dico FVW Reynard but behind him there was quite an entertaining tussle between Richard Carr and Kelly Fletcher for second and third spot. Kelly finding more grip than Richard to lead across the line with Haydn Elwood fourth in his 7Up 76C Swift FF92. Joshua Smit fifth and Nick van der Westhuizen sixth.
Dee-Jay Booysen adding heat two from Richard Carr, Haydn Ellwood, Kelley Fletcher, Joshua Smit and Donovan Ramsay. Fletcher tried her hand at drifting through Turn 5 but lost more time than Haydn Ellwood and Nick van der Westhuizen managed to spin out.
Overall the order Dee-Jay Booysen from Richard Carr, Kelley Fletcher, Haydn Ellwood, Joshua Smit and Nick van der Westhuizen.
BATT Tech STC 650 and SSP 300 MC 2×9 Laps
Paul Medell claimed a dominant first heat victory aboard his 5 Trac Mac Kawasaki ER6N with Jamie Hall a somewhat cautious second on his 65 MGA Racing Kawasaki ER6 and a rejuvenated Lance Jonas third on his 83 Samurai Racing Yamaha MT 07. Adrian Solomon lived on his tail throughout the heat on the SSP winning Pool King 4 Kawasaki Ninja 400. Abdul Essack claimed fifth on his HSC Racing Suzuki SV650 and the top six completed by André Symes on his 52 Genasys Racing Kawasaki ER6.
Heat two looked cold and slippery and it was Jamie Hall who dominated from Lance Jonas, Ethan Diener (3 The Magworkshop KTM 390), Raymond Alexander (11 Rayder Cycles Kawasaki Ninja 400), Mitch Robinson (71 Magworkshop Kawasaki Ninja 399) and Mario Ferreira (44 Willie’s Service Centre KTM RC 390).
Overall the order was Jamie Hall, Lance Jonas, Ethan Diener, Raymond Alexander, Mitch Robinson and Abdul Essack.
Kaltron Formula Supercars 2×8 Laps
Encouraging numbers on the entry list shrunk to just six starting heat one and it was Ernest Page who led Andrew Moffitt, Shane Boscombe, Craig Hume, André Roe and Kyle Hallick home in tricky conditions. The Supercars run on slicks, have no inners in their wheel wells, no windscreen wipers and spray makes a mess of the inside of their windscreens. Ample reasons not to want to race, but they are racers!
Heat two did not offer much more grip and it was again Ernest Page who led Andrew Moffitt, Yassen Damon, Shane Boscombe and André Roe home. Overall the order was Ernest Page, Andrew Moffitt, Shane Boscombe, André Roe, Craig Hume and Kyle Hallick.
Kaltron Fine Cars 2×8 Laps
All but JC Engelbrecht opted not to race on the day and the Springbok based Ford Cortina MkII found itself in the Laude Classic Cars category in order to actually race. This is Cape Town and it is winter, and it will rain again?
MGA Racing Clubmans Classic and Breakfast Run MC 2×9 Laps
Hilton Redelinghuys and the beautiful 888 Motorcycles 87 Kawasaki ZX-7R dominated heat one with Jamie Hall second on his rare MGA Racing 65 Suzuki SRAD 750 and Tyla Webber. Greg Waddington fourth on his 15 Yamaha R1 with Sharief Reynolds fifth on the 7 Ducati 996. William Morries sixth on his Willie’s Service Centre 13 Suzuki GSXR K6.
Jamie Hall claimed H2 in the absence of Hilton Redelinghuys and Mario Ferreira surprised even himself with second place. Wayne Gresse (95 Tony’s Motor Spares Kawasaki ZX10R) third, William Morries fourth, Derek Hendricks (57 Bikers Delight Suzuki GSXR 750) fifth and Sharief Reynolds sixth.
Overall it was a second outright victory for Jamie Hall and he was followed home by William Morries, Mario Ferreira, Derek Hendricks, Sharief Reynolds and Wayne Gresse.
Pirelli V8 Masters 2×8 Laps
No windscreen wipers, even bigger slicks and serious rain made life in these powerful APV347is cars too much to handle for the Masters. Power without control is pretty useless and their efforts was cut short with a red flag. And then it rained!
Thermo Fires Clubman Saloons 2×6 Laps
Fair to have expected Stephen Heydenrych to win much as he peased in the 10A Origen Oil Nissan Skyline, but he would have needed to see where he was going tot do so and a misted front screen put paid to that.
Shane Smith floating his 71B Truckport Logistics BMW E36 to overall victory from Gary Smith in the 68C Truckport Logistics BMW 530. Cannot recall father and son Smith ever having been first and second overall, but sure they enjoyed the moment. Gavin Cerff was heading to a possible overall win but then outbraked himself into Turn 5 to drop back to third overall in the 17D Spur VW Golf MkI.
Kai van Zyl took fourth overall in his 340X Unlimited Auto Angri VW Polo with Dexter Bruce driving neatly to fifth in the 143C A&K Auto BMW E36 328i. JP Share tried Turn 5 in reverse but recovered to sixth overall in his 102B Bester Tegniese Dienste BMW E36 328i.
John da Silva won class D in his 142D Ezi Group Solar VW Golf MkI with Anton Jacobs second in his 39D Nissan Sentra 200Sti and Jemma Olen third in the 36D BMW E36 328i.
Zahir Phillips won class E in the 107E MRP Auto Racing VW Jetta 3 with André van der Merwe second in the massive 123E Huguenot Vallei Mineral Water Chrysler C300 and Ruan Gouws third in his 9E VW Golf. Adam Omar claiming class F in his 24F FS Transport VW Golf MkI.
Sealpro Winelands SBK / SBKC / Masters / 600 MC 1×9 Laps
Limited to just a single heat it was Slade van Niekerk (111 Project Sixty SA Kawasaki ZX10R) who led Kewyn Snyman (19 Missile Motorcycles Honda CBR1000) home with Tristin Pienaar (50 Missile Motorcycles BMW S1000RR) third.
Dyllan Anderson impressed in fourth with his 42 Landy World Suzuki GSXR 750 with Keana Strode fifth aboard his 70 Strode Racing Kawasaki ZX6R and in sixth spot it was Samkelo Liwani on his 49 Yamaha YZF R6.
API Property GTi Challenge 2×6 Laps
Jurie Swart experimented with many lines on the day but still made it home first overall in his 39A Alpine Autohaus VW Polo 6 with Oliver Hintenaus second overall in his 76A Coastal VW Polo 6. Schalk Geldenhuys pushed some tyre back into line in Turn 5 and had to settle for third overall on a day where he should have been duelling for victory in his 10A G&A Motorsport VW Polo 6.
Weylin Volschenk impressed with fourth overall in his 52B IMC-SA VW Polo 6 and he was followed home by Ryan van Eden in his 28B RVE Digital Marketing VW Polo 6. Another great drive saw Dylan van Eden sixth overall in his 55C Century Kartin VW Golf MkI 1.8.
Faizal Jacobs fourth in class B with his 40B Century Karting VW Polo 6, Mario Roux fifth in the 17B Automar VW Polo 6 and Mohammed T Khalfey sixth in his 14B MAD Performance VW Polo 6.
Daniel Munna the second finisher in class C with his 33C API Property Group VW Golf MkI. Ruan Uys third in the 48C Ruan Uys Racing VW Golf MkI and in fourth it was Zac Laden in his 64C Angri / Incledon VW Golf MkI. Fashman Finneman fifth in the 25C Blockkoin VW Golf MkI and in sixth it was Tristan Joubert in the 90C Powder Coating World VW Golf MkI.
Laude Classic Cars 2×6 Laps
A thirty strong entry shrunk to just fourteen starters and it was Franco Donadio that simply ran away at the front of the pack in his 32A Donadio Plant Hire Chev Can Am V8. Clearly man and machine came well prepared and the Little Chev was simply in a league of it’s own.
Trevor Momberg proved to be the quickest Ford driver on the day with second overall in his 73A M&E Auto Ford Capri 3.4. He was however kept under pressure from an equally impressive Brian Evans in his 441B Cape Eye Laser Ford Escort MkI. Michael Hitchcock slithered his way to fourth overall in the 67A Cross Cape Forklift Services Ford Mustang Notchback V8 with Trevor Hutchings fifth overall in his 71C HSC Racing VW Scirocco. Layne Hutchings sixth overall in his HSC racing VW Golf MkII GTi.
Calvin Beekman won class E in the Rob Tissington 42E Morris Minor 1293cc.
Compliments to JC Engelbrecht who entered his Kaltron Fine Cars 201 Ford Cortina MkII in the Laude Classic Car Races and netted 12th spot overall.
Denis Joubert Parade – Cancelled
In April 1971 the Rogue’s Gallery in The Blower (Official organ of the WPMC) said the first impression of Denis Joubert give one the idea of a quiet little fellow who would not say boo to a goose. On getting to know him one realizes that it is only the total absence of suitable geese which prevents Denis from saying boo.
Then 36 years of age he was an architect, administrative secretary of the WPMC as well as Chairman, married with a young family and the WP Sports Car Champion!
Starting off with an MGTD in 1957 he quickly progressed to a Morgan before the Cherie Crisp GSM Dart appeared. Winning the 1969 Roy Hesketh 6 Hour with Clarry Taylor in his immaculately prepared Chevron BMW B8 was considered his greatest achievement and his love for endurance racing saw a success in the Cape 2 Hour.
The Killarney International Raceway stands as representation of his life long dedication to local motorsport and at the age of just 90 the only regret might be having sold his that incredible Chevron B16!
Tribute to Fallen Friends
Michael Grace D’Udy – Richard Dickon Daggit – Jean du Plessis – Leighton Thomas – Bruce Valentine
100km Le Joubert Challenge Sports & GT Cars 16 Laps
Would this be the weekend where the second Ginetta G57 made it’s debut?
Craig Jarvis should have dominated this event irrespective of the shortened distance or the very wet conditions. The 68 Connor & Kendyll Hot Wheels Ginett G57 looked very hot on track but a spin in Turn 2 spoiled his day and dropped him back to an eventual fourth spot.
Oliver Hintenaus taking overall victory in his 86C Coastal BMW E46 M3 after a really consistent drive. Renzo Torrente second overall in his 86B ATM Chiptuning BMW M4 GT4 and in third it was Tristan de Nobrega in his 27D Nissan 370Z. Sandro Biccari floating his 3B VW Juno S3 1.8 to fifth and the top six competed by Maarten prins in his 72B Motul Porsche GT3 Cup racer.
Summary
Extreme weather held the event ransom for the day
Published by: Patrick Vermaak
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