What Extreme Festival 2024 Round 3 Report
Where Zwartkops Raceway, Pretoria
When Saturday 18 May 2024
Community South Africa National
Jonathan Mogotsi wins again in SupaCup, Charl Visser consolidates
Volkswagen Motorsport delivered another strong showing in a tough day of racing at Zwartkops’ third round National Extreme Festival in Pretoria on Saturday.
Jonathan Mogotsi won the opening race before coming in a close second in race 2 as he strengthened his lead in the SATC SupaCup championship. Rookie teammate and 2023 Polo Cup champion, Charl Michael Visser was a fighting fourth on the day to consolidate his strong second in the SATC SupaCup title chase. And Kyle Visser came home an impressive sixth overall and top rookie once again in Astron Energy Polo Cup.
“Volkswagen Motorsport enjoyed another strong day at the races at the weekend’s Zwartkops Extreme Festival,” Mike Rowe, Head of Volkswagen Motorsport confirmed. “Our drivers came here looking to consolidate their championship positions and they actually did a bit better than that, so all in all a great day at the races. Well done team!”
“Zwartkops was good!” a satisfied Jonathan Mogotsi smiled. “We never quite had the pace for pole position, but the front row was good and I grabbed the lead and kept it throughout the early safety car and went on to win race 1. Keegan Campos then repaid the complement and went ahead and stayed there through race 2, which became a bit complicated with all the delayed Touring Cars coming back through. But a win and a second to extend our title advantage, I’ll take that. Thanks team!”
“There were just two-hundredths of a second between second and fourth on the grid and I drew the short straw to start fourth,” Charl Visser admitted. “I had to fight back from sixth and made a successful move around the outside of turn 4 for fourth in the last lap. “Race 2 started better in third, but I was caught out by the Touring Cars coming back through and dropped a place. All in all a solid day and some good lessons learned, so onward and upward and thanks to my great team.”
If the SupaCup action was fraught, the front end of Astron in Astron Energy Polo Cup was basically a warzone. “Zwartkops was my toughest weekend of the year and I had to work the hardest I have so far this season,” Cup rookie Kyle Visser explained. “I made up some good ground through those three mad heats and also lost a place or two along the way, but I’m happy with my progress today and we once again learned so much. Thanks so much to the team for a great car and huge support.”
“Next stop is important for Volkswagen Motorsport,” Mike Rowe concludes. “It’s our home race at Aldo Scribante just down the road from the Kariga plant on Saturday 29 June, so we look forward to thrilling our fans with best racing and great action. See you at Aldo!”
Issued on behalf of Volkswagen Motorsport
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