Wouter Roos (Nathan’s Motorsport VW Golf) claimed victory in both heats at the opening round of the 2019 Car Care Clinic 111 Sports & Saloons championship which took place at Zwartkops Raceway on Saturday, 8 March. On both occasions Adrian Dalton (Xtra Clothing and Shoes VW Golf) and George Economides (Wealth Avenue BMW 328i) chased him to the flag.
In the morning qualifying session it looked like Kevin Miller (Ford Focus) had done enough to claim pole position, but a late flyer by Roos demoted Miller to second. Defending champion George Bezuidenhout (Accolade/CES Forklift Nissan Primera) headed the second row of the grid with Dalton alongside him. Gerhard Henning (www.allmotospares.co.za VW Golf) and Economides rounded out the top six. Danie Deysel (Tyre City Honda CRX) was the quickest of the Class X brigade while Wayne Masters (Performance Masters VW Polo) led the way in Class B. Class C went to Lenard Archer (ACD Welkom Hyundai Elantra) with Chris Smit (Captive/Toptrans Porsche 924) on top in Class D. Mark Gregory won the battle of the Golfs in Class E, setting the quickest time in his Creative Patterns supported example.
There was early drama in the first race when Miller spun in the first corner and was collected by Bezuidenhout. While Bezuidenhout was able to continue in his slightly battered Nissan, the safety car was deployed to allow the Zwartkops marshals to move Miller’s Focus out of the way. A lap later and racing got underway again with Roos leading the way from Dalton and Economides. Roos was able to open a gap of about two seconds before Dalton managed to break away from Economises. Dalton closed the gap to the leader but wasn’t able to mount an attack before the flag came out. Roos took the win by just over quarter of a second. Economides had to settle for third ahead of Henning and a recovering Bezuidenhout with Ismail Peck (NHM Honda Civic) in sixth.
Dirk Lawrence (JDM Tuning/Vaal Timber Honda Ballade) got the better of Deysel to take Class X with Floris Stopforth (VW Polo) in third. Masters took Class B from Louis Scholtz (Car Care Clinic Honda Ballade) and Johan van der Vyver (Devlaw Subaru WRX STi). Lenard Archer (ACD Welkom Hyundai Elantra) was a comfortable winner in Class C with Keagan Pottas (AIPM Alfa GTV) in second. Class D went to Smit with Michael Frade (TO Trucking Ford Icon) following him home. Gregory led Marius Lots (VW Golf) over the line to take Class E with Mark Kingsmill (VW Golf) in third.
The start of the second race again saw the safety car deployed, this time after Henning’s Golf was left on its side between turns one and two as a result of contact with Bezuidenhout. When the safety car returned to the pits Roos led the way, this time from Economides who had Dalton on his bumper. A lap later Dalton moved up to second but could not close the gap to Roos allowing the Golf driver to take his second win of the day. Economides completed the podium with Peck not far behind in fourth. Lawrence, the first of the Class X runners, came home in fifth with Class B winner Masters in sixth.
Bertus van Jaarsveld (Photizo VW Polo) and Stopforth completed the Class X podium with Lawrence. Scholtz followed Masters over the line to take second in Class B with van der Vyver not far behind. Archer took his second Class C win of the day from Pottas with Smit again taking Class D from Frade. Gregory, Lotz and Kigsmill again filled the Class E podium.
In the day’s overall standings, Roos took Class A from Dalton and Economides with Masters at the top of Class B from Scholtz and van der Vyver. Archer claimed Class C from Pottas while Smit took Class D from Frade. As the did in both heats, Gregory, Lotz and Kingsmill occupied the top three positions in Class E. Lawrence took Class X from van Jaarsveld and Stopforth.
Round 2 of the Car Care Clinic 111 Sports & Saloons championship will take place at Midvaal Raceway in Meyerton on Saturday, 13 April.