Welcome to the recap of Round 2 of the Western Province kart championships, held at Killarney International Raceway this past Saturday.
Amidst cool conditions and a mystical mist blanketing the circuit during warm-ups and qualifying, drivers faced challenging track conditions. However, as the mist lifted, the stage was set for an unforgettable day of racing. What ensued was nothing short of spectacular—the competition was fierce, with battles unfolding on every corner. It was undoubtedly one of the closest and most hotly contested race days the club has witnessed in quite some time.
Adding to the intensity, it was the first of four SARMC scoring rounds for the Rotax drivers. Heats 2 and 3 in each class carried extra significance to add points to the driver’s national tallies.
Let’s dive into it and relive the excitement of Round 2!
BAMBINO
In the heart of the Western Cape, a small field of the youngest racers displayed immense passion and determination this past weekend. Radhi Harris skillfully manoeuvred through challenging conditions to secure pole position by a mere seven-hundredths of a second over Caleb Lingeveldt! Harris dominated the first race effortlessly, leaving Lingeveldt trailing by 8.5 seconds, followed by Ebrahim Khalpey in third. Lingeveldt staged a remarkable comeback in races 2 and 3, clinching victory in both with nail-biting finishes at the line, narrowly edging out Harris in two epic photo finishes.
The Bambino’s didn’t just race; they put on a spectacle for their families and fans. Lingeveldt emerged as the day’s winner, with Harris in close pursuit and Khalpey securing third place. Divaaj Govender impressed with a solid fourth-place finish on his karting debut, while Aleena Doutie and newcomer Ashlyn Beaumont showcased steady progress throughout the day, each improving their lap times with every session.
With round 1 winner Yaqeen Gamieldien having stepped up to Micro Max, the championship rivalry between Lingeveldt and Harris intensifies. Lingeveldt holds a slight advantage as they head into Round 3, setting the stage for an exhilarating battle ahead.
MICRO MAX
Micro Max delivered an intense day of racing as the top four drivers battled bumper-to-bumper throughout. Ruhan Victor, making his class debut after missing round 1, made a bold statement by seizing pole position on the tricky Killarney Kart Track, but Round 1 victor Liam Wharton ensured the competition remained tight. The margin? A mere one-thousandth of a second!
Wharton then asserted his dominance by clinching victory in race 1, overtaking Jayden van der Merwe in the closing laps. Michael O’Mahoney closely trailed in third. Wharton continued his winning streak in race 2, with Victor trailing closely in second and van der Merwe securing third. However, van der Merwe stole the spotlight in race 3 with a thrilling victory, firmly establishing himself as a contender for the season title as Bambino graduate Yaqeen Gamieldien showed his talent with a commendable second-place finish ahead of Victor in third.
The day concluded with Wharton securing his second overall win of the season, followed by van der Merwe in second and Victor in third. Gamieldien managed to secure fourth place overall and despite a tough race day O’Mahoney was fifth, Jake Steyn, and Slater Smith rounded out the top six.
Mia Hermanus displayed significant improvement, securing seventh overall, while Qaanit Doutie completed the field. With Wharton extending his lead in the standings, the upcoming Round 3 promises to be a closely contested affair, with the title challenge still firmly up for grabs.
MINI ROK
In the Mini Rok category, Logan Roehrig set the early pace by securing pole position in qualifying, leading the pack ahead of Aadiv Singh and Jose Slamet, as speedster Aaron Mason faced kart challenges in the misty conditions. Nevertheless, Mason staged a remarkable comeback, claiming three emphatic victories on race day.
Amidst Mason’s dominance, a thrilling battle unfolded between Roehrig and Gauteng’s Noah Cronje. Roehrig secured second place in the first race, but Cronje gained the upper hand in races 2 and 3, ultimately earning second place for the day, with Roehrig rounding out the podium.
Aadiv Singh followed closely, followed by Slamet and Zeph Hair to complete the top six. Mason’s stellar performance has thrust him into contention for the title, setting the stage for an intriguing showdown as these drivers gear up for Round 3 on May 11th.
MINI MAX
The Rotax Mini class set the stage for a thrilling day of racing right from qualifying, where the competition was incredibly tight. Pole sitter Max Boshoff, Michael Danks, Zac Boshoff, and Zac Hindley were separated by a mere 0.118 of a second.
Max Boshoff kicked off the races with a narrow victory in race 1, closely followed by Hindley and an impressive Ruan Lewis in third. Lewis continued to shine in race 2, securing his first win of the season as he, Hindley in second, and Zac Boshoff in third crossed the finish line in perfect unison, with less than three tenths covering the top three.
The final race of the day turned into a family affair as Max Boshoff claimed his second win, with his brother Zac following closely behind. Ruan Lewis once again showed his prowess, securing third place. Boshoff’s two wins were sufficient to secure the overall victory for the day, with Lewis and Hindley rounding out the podium.
Zac Boshoff finished fourth, trailed by Aiden Beaumont, Zach McAuley, and Danks. Andrew Retter continued to make strides, securing seventh overall, ahead of newcomers Hugo Aggett and Zion Hair. Danks and Beaumont, the top guns from Round 1, faced stiffer competition this time around, with six talented drivers in the mix.
As the drivers gear up for the next round on May 11th, the competition promises to intensify, with multiple contenders capable of mounting a serious title challenge.
OKJ
ROK OKJ delivered a spectacle from start to finish, with qualifying setting the stage for three thrilling races that showcased the talents of some of the Cape’s fastest young drivers. Reese Koorzen clinched pole position in a tightly contested qualifying session, narrowly edging out Matthew Chiwara and William Marshall by less than two-tenths of a second.
Chiwara translated his pole position into a victory in race 1, leading the charge ahead of Koorzen and an impressive Aleksandar Praizovic. Marshall, who had been in contention at the front, faced exclusion, setting the stage for a dramatic fight back.
Marshall redeemed himself in race 2, seizing victory with Manelisi Nkomo in second and Praizovic in third. Meanwhile, Koorzen and Chiwara encountered setbacks, finishing a lap down after battling for the lead throughout the race.
The final race intensified as Koorzen, Chiwara, Marshall, and Nkomo engaged in a fierce battle for the win. Koorzen narrowly clinched victory ahead of Chiwara and Marshall, securing his first win of the day. With Chiwara and Koorzen each claiming a victory, they secured the top two positions for the day, with Nkomo rounding out the podium.
Praizovic emerged as the best of the rest in fourth place, followed by Round 1 winner Aaron Mason, Marshall, whose early exclusion hampered his overall result despite his race 2 triumph, and Onwabile Mcinga in seventh.
As the championship unfolds, the rivalry between Chiwara and Koorzen intensifies, with Mason aiming to rebound in Round 3 to keep his title aspirations alive. The competition promises to remain fierce throughout the season.
JUNIOR MAX
Junior Max delivered a day filled with suspense and unpredictability, making it nearly impossible to forecast a winner. Keagan Beaumont set the pace by topping the timesheets in a misty morning qualifying session, which he translated into a victory in race 1, showcasing impressive driving ahead of Nicholas Lennox and Anwill April, who both demonstrated their speed in such a tight class. Sebastiano Human was right in the mix, carving his way up to second place before a nose cone penalty pushed him down to fourth. Undeterred, Human bounced back to claim victory in race 2, followed by Lennox and April. He repeated this feat in race 3, with Round 1 winner Jordon Wadeley securing second place and Beaumont settling for third.
Human’s dual triumphs secured him the overall victory for the day and reasserted his presence as a title contender this season. However, the fierce competition among Human, Beaumont, Lennox, April, and Wadeley indicates that this year’s championship remains wide open.
With Round 3 on the horizon on May 11th, expectations are high for Wadeley to stage a comeback, as any of the top five contenders could seize victory. The battle for Junior Max supremacy promises to be intense and unpredictable as this season progresses.
SENIOR MAX
In the highly competitive realm of Cape Senior Max racing, 2023 Polo Cup Champion Charl Visser came out on top once again, but the results do not mirror the intensity on display throughout the day. The morning qualifying session set the stage, with the top 8 drivers separated by less than half a second. Visser secured pole position by a narrow margin, facing stiff competition from a talented field of drivers hot on his heels.
Visser then kicked off the races with a victory in race 1, leading the charge ahead of Supa Cup driver Tate Bishop and Killarney National Senior Max winner Luca Wehrli. Race 2 saw Visser comfortably clinch another win, while the rest of the grid engaged in fierce battles for position. Jude Stuart claimed an impressive second place, with Ethan Deacon following closely behind.
In race 3, the chasing pack united their efforts, nearly posing a threat to Visser’s dominance. Despite the pressure, Visser secured a narrow victory ahead of Cole Hewetson and Wehrli, with the rest of the pack in close pursuit.
Visser’s mastery shone through as he navigated the chaos to emerge victorious once again. Stuart secured a commendable second place for the day, with Hewetson rounding out the podium. Bishop finished fourth, followed by Wehrli, Deacon, and main circuit drivers Zac Laden and Storm Lanfear, with Gabriele Gazzilli completing the day’s results.
The competition in this class is incredibly tight, with every move for position having the potential to reshape the entire field. The drivers’ ability to work together, as demonstrated in the final race, will be crucial in challenging Visser’s dominance at the top of the standings.
DD2 & DD2 MASTERS
Rotax DD2 delivered high-quality racing, featuring both the DD2 and DD2 Masters categories. Joseph Oelz asserted his mastery of the slippery qualifying conditions to secure pole position, narrowly besting multiple SA Champion Sebastian Boyd. In the Masters category, Conor Hughes emerged as the top qualifier.
Oelz and Boyd engaged in a fierce battle for victory in race 1, with DD2 rookie Matthew Wadeley showing impressive speed to secure third. In Masters, Hughes demonstrated his speed and experience by claiming victory over Roy Gruer and Marco Viegas.
Boyd seized control in race 2, edging out Oelz for the win, with Wadeley once again showing his prowess in third as Hughes continued his dominance in the Masters category, securing another victory ahead of Gruer and Viegas.
Race 3 saw an intense conclusion to the day as Oelz fought back to claim victory over Boyd, with Wadeley securing another third-place finish, while in Masters, Gruer staged a comeback to secure a narrow victory over Hughes, with Viegas rounding out the podium.
Overall, Oelz emerged victorious ahead of Boyd and Wadeley, while Gruer, Hughes, Viegas, and Neville Chapman led the Masters category. Despite falling short in the overall DD2 results, Hughes clinched the Masters win, followed by Gruer and Viegas on the podium. Chapman finished fourth, with Eugene Clark, Johan Hamman, and Andrew Thomas following closely behind.
The DD2 title race heated up with Oelz bouncing back to claim the lead after Boyd’s early advantage in Round 1. However, all eyes are on Wadeley, who is steadily gaining momentum and aims to join the title fight as the season progresses.
In Masters, a notable absence from the results was Round 1 winner Jared Jordon, who had to miss the race day to welcome the birth of his first child. Congratulations to Jared from all of us at WPMC Karting!
WP CLUBMANS
WP Clumans treated families and fans to a day of exhilarating racing, with Gabi Lanfear stealing the spotlight by claiming pole position ahead of her male counterparts. Lanfear’s infectious smile remained as she went on to secure three impressive victories, leaving the rest of the field to battle it out for the remaining podium spots.
Lanfear faced stiff competition from Sean Le Riche, who secured second place for the day in the Gold Class, while newcomer Zimvo Majova made a memorable Clubmans debut, starting Race 3 from pole position after setting the fastest lap in race 2. Raffaelle Musso and Tristan Botha completed the Gold Class results, rounding off an intense yet fun-filled day.
In the Clubmans Silver category, PJ Garbutt emerged victorious, with several strong results throughout the day. Chris Flack and Jade Smith followed closely behind, securing second and third place respectively. Brendan Lennox demonstrated his pace by finishing fourth, with Alex Lepelley and Ryan Eastwood rounding off the Silver Class results.
Garbutt’s success in Clubmans Silver highlighted his potential for future victories, while Lanfear’s dominance in the Gold Class proved her abilities behind the wheel of a racekart. As the season progresses, spectators can expect more thrilling battles and impressive performances from these club racers.
CONCLUSION
As Round 2 of the Western Province kart championships came to a close at Killarney International Raceway, the day proved to be one for the memory bank.
The intensity was evident as drivers battled it out for Cape Karting glory, with every corner of the circuit witnessing fierce battles.
Looking ahead, the anticipation for Round 3 builds, promising another thrilling chapter in the 2024 Western Province Kart Championships. From the youngest talents to our seasoned veterans, every driver left their mark, reminding us why karting is such a thrilling sport. Until next time, safe travels to those of you who are attending Nationals before our next event.
See you at Round 3!
Published on behalf of WPMC Karting by Racebook Media
Photography by: Motorsport Fanatix
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