What Dunlop Winter Festival Report
Where Zwartkops Raceway, Pretoria
When 8 June 2024
Community South Africa National
Hot racing warms fans hearts at cool Dunlop Winter Festival
PABAR VW Challenge thrilled the chilly crowd that turned up to a crisp but bright Zwartkops Raceway with brilliant racing throughout the pack at Saturday’s aptly titled Dunlop Winter Festival races.
Wayne Masters made sure of pole position with a strong early qualifying lap aboard his Performance Master Polo 6R to line up alongside brother’s Bevin CPS Warehouse version. Dean Ross emerged an impressive third in his Norbrake entry from Miguel Dias Performance Master PMD machine, Luigi Ferro’s Ferro Energia car and PSA Africa lass Nicole Lombard, after Mike Barbaglia’s PABAR Polo failed to set a time.
Stuart Mack’s freshly sponsored litre turbo-triple Creation Wealth Polo celebrated its new colours with pole position for Class B from the regular 2-litre normally aspirated cars headed by Ethan Coetzee JRT Racing Experience version. Shiren Rajpaul’s Dubcorp entry lined up third alongside Jacques Hayes’ Platinum Wheels Polo.
They were followed by Dewald Theron’s ARD CTS version, Mellow Velo man Ian Walker, Tinahe Ncube’s Eco Simply Solar car and VaporWorx man Francis Aldrich. Josh Wilford’s Coating Techniques car stopped after two laps but it was even worse for class log leader Mo Karodia, who failed to log a lap in his Fast 5 Motorsport Polo sedan.
Andy Gossman’s Goose Motorsport Vivo put one over the sixteen-year olds to capture pole on the Brat Pack Class C grid with Judd Bertholdt’s Sizanani Plastics version second from Sportex lad Christopher Tait and Insurisk youngster Kyle Petersen, who lined up alongside Philip Croeser ATE Brakes Vivo on row 2. TPAS driver Tyron Pillay followed from JRT dad Mitch Coetzee, and two more Insurisk entries for Cody Petersen and Dimitri Zapheriou.
Luigi Ferro got the jump on Wayne Masters at the start, but once he’d forced his way back past, the younger Masters made no mistakes to take a well-earned victory. Bevin Masters went the other way at the start as he was shuffled into the class B pack but pit in a stirring drive to come from behind and nick second from Ferro, with Dean Ross and Nicole Lombard in chase after Dias took an early shower.
Bumper car Class B saw Stuart Mack get ahead complete with a competitor’s wayward bumper he’d picked up jamming into his own and waving at the crowd. Shiren Rajpaul emerged second from the chaos ahead of Jacques Hayes, Dewald Theron, Francis Aldrich, Tinahe Ncube and Ian Walker. Josh Wilford stopped mid-race, Ethan Coetzee was victim to the first corner drama, and despite much ado after, that result stood.
The kids mugged Andy Gossman at the start before Christopher Tait made off to take the win from Gossman, Kyle Petersen, Mitch Coetzee, a delayed Judd Bertholdt Philip Croeser, Cody Petersen, Dimitri Zapheriou and Tyron Pillay. That result also had the steward’s door revolving at about a driver a minute, but also to no avail.
Race 2 was a thriller between the Masters brothers Wayne and Bevin and Luigi Ferro, who delivered next level excitement up front. Miguel Dias had the best seat in the house as he lurked a coat of paint further back, with Nicole Lombard next home. Stuart Mack again dominated Class B as Ethan Coetzee put in a belter from the back to second, as Jacques Hayes banked another podium. They, Ian Walker, Dewald Theron and Francis Aldric gained places when second man Shiren Rajpaul binned two laps from home.
Andy Gossman took revenge on the Brat Pack youths, leaving Christopher Tate to pick up the pieces in second ahead of Kyle Petersen, Philip Croeser, Tyron Pillay, Mitch Coetzee, Cody Petersen and Dimitri Zapheriou. Overall, Wayne Masters took Class A from Bevin and the ever-consistent Nicole Lombard. Stuart Mack increased his stranglehold with the Class B trophy from Jacques Hayes and Dewald Theron, and Andy Gossman took Class C from Chris Tait and Kyle Petersen.
PABAR VW Challenge now takes a midwinter break before the excitement builds for the Northern Regions Extreme Festival which heads off for its annual away race to Cape Town and Killarney on Woman’s Day weekend Saturday 10 August.
Issued on behalf of PABAR VW Challenge
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