MOSS STEALS GTC POLE

East London top four within 0.3 seconds

Simon Moss (Audi A4 GTC) stole pole position in the dying seconds of the East London Sasol Global Touring Car races for Engen Terry Moss Racing Friday evening as the top four qualified within 0,18 seconds for Saturday’s races. Bradley Liebenberg meanwhile delivered the first non-Volkswagen pole position as he put his Ferodo Signature racing Mini on GTC2 pole position.

Moss beat BMW privateer Johan Fourie (EPS Courier Service BMW GTC) and Michael Stephen in the second Xtreme/Terry Moss Audi A3 GTC) to the pole, with championship leader Gennaro Bonafede fourth in his Sasol BMW GTC, just 0.280 seconds off pole man Moss. Daniel Rowe was the first of the Volkswagen Motorsport Jetta GTCs home ahead of Michael van Rooyen (RSC BMW GTC) and Mathew Hodges in the second Volkswagen.

Liebenberg beat Mandla Mdakane (Volkswagen Motorsport GTC 2 )in another close tussle another close margin, to take the GTC2 pole by just 0.06 seconds with Kosie Weyers a surprise third in the NSI/Goodwood/Belfreeze Chevy Cruze GTC2. Another privateer, Trevor Bland (TB Volkswagen Golf GTI) was fourth from Keagan Masters in a similar factory car, with Christopher Shorter (Champion Mini), Iain Stevenson (Comsol Golf GTI), Dayne Angel’s brand new Autohaus Angel Honda Civic Type R next up and a struggling Charl Smallberger (iCorp Volkswagen Parts Golf GTI) the last qualifier.

Fourie was initially quickest as the GTC grid went out just after the sun set, but Stephen ran him very close toward the end of the session before Moss, who had been quick all day long, pipped Fourie in the post in the death. In GTC2, Weyers had upset the applecart to take initial pole, but both Liebenberg and Mdkane pipped him on their final laps.

The Sasol GTCs race two heats at the East London Grand Prix Circuit Saturday 20 May.

Sasol Global Touring Cars - East London Qualifying Top Ten

1. Simon Moss (Engen Xtreme/Terry Moss Audi A3 GTC) 1:26.233

2. Johan Fourie (EPS Courier Service BMW GTC) 1:26.367 +0.134

3. Michael Stephen Xtreme/Terry Moss Audi A3 GTC) 1:26.420 + 0.187

4. Gennaro Bonafede (Sasol BMW GTC) 1:26.641 +0.280

5. Daniel Rowe (Volkswagen Motorsport Jetta GTC) 1:26.877 +0.644

6. Michael van Rooyen (RSC BMW GTC) 1:27.748 +1.515

7. Mathew Hodges (Volkswagen Motorsport Jetta GTC) 1:27.848 +1.538

8. Bradley Liebenberg (Ferodo Signature Mini JCW GTC2) 1:32.605

9. Mandla Mdakane (Volkswagen Motorsport GTC 2) 1:32.681 +0.076

10. Kosie Weyers (NSI/Goodwood/Belfreeze Chevy Cruze GTC2) 1:32.870 +0.265