Summarize

Damp track, cool weather, shock results

The wet, they say, is the great equaliser and a wet kart track often delivers surprise results. Well that’s pretty much what went down at Vereeniging’s Laserfiche Raceway on Saturday, when cool and unseasonably wet conditions played host to the third round of Gauteng’s 2017 Northern Regions Karting Championship.

There were some results to be expected — triple SA champion Bradley Liebenberg’s DD2 win for instance; Blaine Rademeyer keeping true to his winning  Junior Max form, Kwanda Mokoena taking Mini Rok, Mohammed Wally Micro Max and Luke Hill and Nathan Parkins the respective smallest and biggest Cadet and Superkart wins. But there were some turn-ups for the books too.

Daniel Duminy for instance turned the tables in Senior Max. The Ballito FA Kart driver took two wins to one to beat a thrilled Oliver Gunner (Tony Kart) to second ahead of race 1 winner, Cameron O’ Connor (FA). Tiago Rebelo was third man home from East London lass Shannon Jackson and local lad Joshua Dias. It was Duminy’s first win since the last wet races.

Aqil Alibhai was another driver to step up to the wet weather plate in Maxterino, no doubt benefiting his European experience last year as he beat off Jordan Brooks and Muhammad Wally to top the podium with three splendid race wins on the trot. Joshua de Paiva ended fourth in this primary school 60cc class from Bjorn Bertholdt and Simile Zamxaka.

Daniel de Paiva is another driver who benefited from his overseas experience on damp tracks to take under-13 Mini Max honours, two races to one over the ever-improving Jarrod Waberski with Aqil Alibhai holding a watching brief in third. Regular frontrunner Leyton Fourie ended fourth from Jagger Robertson Alessio Angelucci in a damp day’s racing.

For the rest, it was pretty much form book stuff, with Liebenberg (Birel) taking two races to beat quick Bloemfontein racer Justin Allison (Tony Kart) to second before both were stunned by the lovely Ivana Cetinich taking a brilliant third race win. Cameron O’ Connor came home fourth behind Ivana and ahead of Mozambican Karl Pitzer and an on form Brandon Smith, while Pascal Acquaah, Phillipe Chapat and Marouan Selmi shared DD2 Masters wins to come home in that order over all.

In spite of racing the final heat in the evening dark on top of the cold and wet, Blaine Rademeyer (FA Kart) made no mistakes to take a solid three-race Junior Max high school win from a much improved Mini Max World Champion Jayden Els (CRG), now clearly coming to grips with the bigger class and Wayland Wyman (Kosmic). Quick karting lass Cameron Dias was next up from Kwanda Moekena and Joseph Ellerine.

Kwanda Mokoena (FA) was however on top of the primary school Mini Rok class, where he beat Jarrod Waberski two races to one to bring fresh life to that title chase as championship leader Leyton Fourie looked on in third. Reece Fuller ended up fourth from Ethen Coetzee and Troy Snyman as this gang prepared to go do battle in its second national championship round in Cape Town Saturday 20 May.

Mohammad Wally reeled off his customary trio of under-11 Micro Max wins in a class where junior primary school kids compete with detuned 125ccc engines. Joshua de Paiva meanwhile overcame Mohammed Moerat for second ahead of Jayden Goosen the steadily improving Caleb Cotterell and Mandla Mlangeni.

Cadet is the smallest karting class catering for under-8 year old kids. Think about that for a second — we are talking about Grade 1 and 2 children who race as if they were Vettel and Hamilton, who of course also started racing at this level, so remember their names. Luke Hill took two Cadet wins to Wian Boshoff’s one with Mzwandile Mjodi third from Cyril Jacobs, Rayn Asmal and Tshepang Shisinwana.

The racing was rounded up by two popular club championship classes. Miguel Dias won two old school 125 GP races to Kurt Bakewell’s one to take the day over regular front runner Scott Falconer. Ryan Cooper was fourth from Paulo Dias and Veteran class winner Mauro Munari sixth overall.

The talented Nathan Parkins won two races to take the Superkart day from Trent Williams, but French Formula 4 racer and SA karting prodigy Stuart White popped up to win the final en route to third on his practice day at the races. Dylan Seely ended fourth from Michael Pringle and Jason Smith.

The next round of the Northern Regions karting championship is at Zwartkops Saturday 3 May.


Vereeniging Northern Regions Karting Round 3 Results
DD2: 1: Bradley Liebenberg, 2: Justin Allison, 3: Ivana Cetinich. Masters: Pascal Acquaah
Senior Max: 1: Daniel Duminy, 2: Oliver Gunner, 3: Cameron O’ Connor
Junior Max: 1: Blaine Rademeyer, 2: Jayden Els, 3: Wayland Wyman
Mini Rok: 1: Kwanda Mokoena, 2: Jarrod Waberski, 3: Leyton Fourie
Maxterino: 1: Aqil Alibhai, 2: Jordan Brooks, 3: Muhammad Wally
Mini Max: 1: Daniel de Paiva, 2: Jarrod Waberski, 3: Aqil Alibhai
Micro Max: 1:  Mohammad Wally, 2: Joshua de Paiva, 3: Mohammed Moerat
Cadet: 1: Luke Hill, 2: Wian Boshoff, 3: Mzwandile Mjodi
125GP: 1: Miguel Dias, 2: Kurt Bakewell, 3: Scott Falconer. Vets: Mauro Munari
Superkart: Nathan Parkins, 2: Trent Williams, 3: Stuart White
ENDS

Issued on behalf of Vereeniging Kart Club

What:Northern Regions Karting Round 3 Report
Where:Laserfiche Raceway, Vereeniging
When:13 May 2017
Community:Vereeniging Kart Club

For further information please contact vkartclub@gmail.com

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