Summarize

Gauteng’s 2017 Northern Regions Karting Championship reaches its midpoint Saturday 3 June when the series returns to the Zwartkops Kart Raceway for its second visit to the Pretoria track for what promises to be another day of explosively entertaining racing. While most classes are the focus of intense championship battles, one driver has delivered a more dominant performance and he’s been brave enough to leave it to his pursuers this weekend…

Blaine Rademeyer has not lost a high school Junior Max race so far this season and considering drivers are allowed to drop their worst three races from their season’s championship scorecard, Blaine has opted to rest his FA Kart and concentrate on his upcoming school exams this weekend. All of which guarantees among his pursuers the chance of victory and the likes of karting lasses Cameron Dias (Kosmic) and Tiffany Napier (Birel), world Mini Max champion Jayden Els (CRG), Wayland Wyman, Kwanda Mokoena and Joseph Ellerine will be keen to add some race wins to their championship scores.

Nobody will however chance missing the Senior Max races, where Kosmic drivers, local lad Cameron O’Connor and last round winner, Ballito lad Daniel Duminy find themselves on level-pegging in their title tussle with worst race points drops taken into consideration. Never mind the fierce four-way spat between Joshua Dias, Oliver Gunner, East London lass Shannon Jackson and Tiago Rebelo with just seven points separating that quartet for third.

Things are also so close in the quickest DD2 class, where just two points separate Cameron O’Connor (FA Kart) and Bradley Liebenberg (Birel) in that championship chase. And if that’s not hot enough, how about Michael Buchholz, Bloem lad Justin Allison, karting lass Ivana Cetinich and Ronaldo Baptista all sitting within 7 points of the championship leader? Its even closer in DD2 Masters for older drivers where Baptista, Pascal Acquaah and Philippe Chapat are but four points apart in the title chase going into Zwartkops.

Other open age karting action will see the old school 125 GP championship heading to Pretoria with Scott Falconer and Miguel Dias tied on points at the top of the table and Kurt Bakewell, Clint Jones, Paul Dias, Ryan Cooper, Ian Basson and Vets leader Mauro Munari all close enough to pick up any pieces.

Daniel de Paiva heads to Zwartkops keen to continue his recent winning ways, which allowed him to close up to just three points behind championship leader Leyton Fourie in the Nothern Regions Under-14 Mini Max championship for detuned 125cc karts. Neither of them will have any room to manoeuvre though, with Aqil Alibhai and Jarrod Waberski lurking within 10 points of them in the chase and Ethan Coetzee and Jagger Robertson also close enough behind to be of some concern.

The other under-14 Mini Rok class sees Kwanda Mokoena and Leyton Fourie tied on points up front but with Jarrod Waberski, Sa’ood Variawa, Ethan Coetzee and Anthony Pretorius all within fighting distance and all of them more than well capable of upsetting the applecart, so who knows who will leave Pretoria in that championship lead?

Things are no different in the primary school Maxterino 60cc class, where Jordan Brooks and Aqil Alibhai sit on equal points at the top of that title table tied on equal points too. Once again, Joshua De Paiva, Muhammad Wally, Bjorn Bertholdt and Klayden-Cole Ensor-Smith are all within striking distance of another wild championship chase.

Things are ever so slightly clearer in under-10 Micro Max class for the most detuned Rotax 125cc-powered karts, where Muhammed Wally leads Mohammed Moerat by just three championship points and the likes of Jayden Goosen, Reece Fuller Judd Bertholdt and Hriday Pooren are keeping both of them more than honest very close behind.

Last but not least, there’s yet another championship tie in the kindergarten of karting Cadets, where Luke Hill and Wian Boshoff head to Pretoria tied on 105 points apiece and Anthon Lombard, Cyril Jacobs, Tshepang Shisinwana and Rayn Asmal all within 17 points. 

With the weather forecast predicting a mild, sunny Pretoria winter’s day, what better entertainment than to head to Zwartkops to enjoy Gauteng’s finest kart racers in action on the tight, twisty and demanding switchback Kart raceway this Saturday 3 June? Entrance is free and the facility offers a great take-away menu, full amenities and of course, a great day’s spellbinding karting…