The Toyota Gazoo Racing Junior Academy performed outstandingly at the Vereeniging Kart Circuit during Round 2 of the Northern Regions Rotax Kart Championships. The team’s collective efforts resulted in multiple wins and podium finishes across all classes, again demonstrating the academy’s dedication and commitment to excellence in the sport.
In the premier DD2 class, Jason Coetzee emerged as the overall winner after winning two heats and finishing as the runner-up in another. Meanwhile, fellow academy driver Karabo Malemela secured a double-podium overall third-place finish. Coetzee took the pole position in qualifying and set the early pace, with Malemela starting in third place. Although Malemela briefly led in Heat 2, Coetzee’s consistent performance throughout the weekend ultimately earned him the Round 2 victory.
Kent Swartz was the dominant force in the Senior MAX class, displaying an impressive pace that saw him set the quickest lap of the day and the fastest in each heat. After securing pole position, Swartz, the current National Junior MAX Champion, won two out of the three heats. He narrowly missed out on a clean sweep due to an incident that caused him to fall back in the race, but he managed a classy fightback to finish as the runner-up.
Reagile Mailula and Emma-Rose Dowling performed exceptionally well in a fiercely competitive Junior MAX racing round, representing the academy with great pride. Dowling, racing for the first time since her return from Spain, secured two third-place finishes, placing fourth overall. Meanwhile, Mailula had an even better day, showing impressive speed as the day progressed. He finished third overall, with his best result being a runner-up finish in the final heat.
Tshepang Shisinwana, a former national karting champion, secured a third-place finish overall with the help of two podium finishes in the heats. Shisinwana also secured pole position for his TGRJA Mini MAX kart on Saturday morning. Throughout the contest, he consistently fought for the top spot and claimed a place on the podium.
The next round of the regional competition will begin on May 25th. However, the academy is now shifting its focus to the upcoming race at Idube Raceway, which is set to host the second national round of the South African Rotax MAX Challenge on May 3-4.
Published by: Motorsport Fanatix
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