What Astron Energy Polo Cup 2024 Round 4 Report
Where Aldo Scribante, Gqeberha EP
When Saturday 29 June 2024
Community South Africa National
Jason takes vital double from rival Victor at Aldo
Jason Loosemore ruled the midseason Astron Energy Polo Cup races at Aldo Scribante’s midwinter Extreme Festival at Nelson Mandela Bay on Saturday. The KZN driver took pole position and both race wins to consolidate his title advantage over Nathan Victor. Wayne Masters meanwhile overcame Derick Smalberger to take the Astron Energy Polo Masters win.
Championship leader, Richards Bay oval track prodigy Jason Loosemore took an easy pole position in qualifying aboard his Security Fencing & Alarms Team Red Polo. He was two tenths of a second clear of title rival, Capetonian former motocrosser Nathan Victor Summit Racing version.
There were however a few surprises among the rest of the top six. The returning Rory Atkinson put his Industry Petroleum Polo third on his second race back, from fellow PABAR VW Challenge champion, Dainfern Dental Dr Hannes Scheepers. Team Red drivers Roshaan Goodman and
AF Fans lady teammate Tyler Robinson meanwhile continued their recent impressive qualifying pace in fifth and sixth.
Loosemore carried his advantage through Superpole to take the top spot from Victor with Scheepers claiming the inside of the second row next to an impressive Robinson and Goodman. Atkinson failed to set a time, so Ethan Coetzee’s JRT Racing Experience Polo lined up sixth from home hero Jeandre Marais’ Syrabix Team Red car, Volkswagen Motorsport rookie Kyle Visser, Fast 5 lad Mo Karodia, Nirav Singh’s Racing Spirit entry, and a troubled Charl Smalberger’s Sabertek car.
Wayne Masters’ Alpha FSS Polo was similarly two tenths of a second clear of John Kruger’s Habot Performance Lubricants Polo to claim pole position in the over-50 year old Astron Energy Polo Masters. Derick Smalberger’s Sabertek car shared the second row with Luigi Ferro’s Alpha FSS entry, PABAR man Mike Barbaglia, quick ATE Brakes lady Elna Croeser, and Chris Dale’s Dale Automation Polo.
Loosemore held a feisty Victor off at the start of race 1, but it was Kyle Visser who made the best getaway to surge up to third from Goodman, Scheepers and Robinson. Behind them, Jeandre Marais did some good work to move up to seventh from Ethan Coetzee as Goodman launched an attack on Visser for third, but ultimately slipped off trying to defend the place, leaving Visser to deal with Scheepers.
Loosemore duly eked out a small advantage to come home to win from Victor, as Visser fought off Scheepers’ attentions with both scoring their best results to date. Behind them, Tyler Robertson had a tidy drive to fifth from the duelling Coetzee, who passed Marais on the final tour. Charl Smalberger charged from the back to beat Karodia, Singh and a slowing Goodman, after Atkinson did not start.
Derick Smalberger made Wayne Masters work for his Masters win. He made a blistering start to lead the way from Wayne and John Kruger. Masters however, found a way back past to win from Smalberger, Kruger, Ferro, Barbaglia, Croeser and Dale.
With Nathan Victor out of position off a slow second fastest qualifying time and Kyle Visser not starting, Jason Loosemore held Ethan Coetzee off to lead the way in race 2. Victor quickly made up places to third past Jeandre Marais, with Mo Karodia, Hannes Scheepers, Tyler Robinson, Roshaan Goodman and Charl Smalberger all in close attendance. Goodman and Robinson however made contact, dropping Tyler back.
Victor then caught and passed Coetzee for second, but Loosemore was long gone for a crucial double victory off pole position. Coetzee kept Victor honest, but that’s how they finished. Home hero Jeandre Marais was fourth in his best Astron Energy Polo Cup result to date, from Scheepers and Karodia. Roshaan Goodman finished seventh but was demoted to ninth behind Nirav Singh and Robertson for his part in Tyler’s off, after Charl Smalberger went off late in the heat.
Derick Smalberger made no mistakes in heat 2 as he sped to a lights to flag Astron Energy Polo Masters win over Wayne Masters and John Kruger. Mike Barbaglia was a happy Masters fourth from Luigi Ferro, Elna Croeser and Chris Dale.
Issued on behalf of Volkswagen Motorsport
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