Former FIA Girls on Track – Rising Stars finalist Tyler Robinson competed in her first event of 2024 after placing in the top five of her class as part of the PABAR VW Challenge this past weekend.
Tyler, no stranger to the Zwartkops Raceway, entered herself into the regional tin-top championship in preparation for her second national saloon car season. No longer a rookie in 2024, Tyler will again compete in the Astron Energy-sponsored Volkswagen Polo Cup Championship.
Friday’s practice sessions were focused on finding a balanced setup around the twisty Pretoria circuit ahead of the all-important qualifying on Saturday morning. Reporting back to the crew that she felt the car was underpowered, she qualified her Class B VW Polo Cup car in fourth.
Race 1 would see the Henley-on-Klip resident lose a few positions on the opening lap and have to drive defensively early on. But not one to sit and wait for something to happen, Tyler made a clean pass through Turn 8 to reclaim fifth. However, she lost some ground to the fourth-placed competitor and, with not too many laps remaining, settled for a top-five finish.
Race 2 would see Tyler in a battle for fifth once again. Holding her own for most of the race, Tyler made a rare mistake, missing a gear that left her unable to defend the position, subsequently losing two positions to take the chequered flag in eighth.
“Even though we are using this weekend as preparation for the 2024 national season, it is still frustrating not to be able to drive at the front. The car felt short on power today, leaving me to defend in the race’s early stages. It became easier to manage once I found my rhythm, but it could have been better. Unfortunately, in the final race, I missed a gear coming out of Turn 2, and there was very little I could do to keep the position. But all in all, the weekend served its purpose, and we will now focus on the Polo Cup in two weeks. A big thank you to my team and my sponsors,” said Tyler.
Tyler extends her thanks to Universal Racing, AF Fans, Freem and RKT Motorsport.
Published by: Motorsport Fanatix
Picture Caption: Tyler Robinson
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