Summarize

The 2019 Investchem Formula 1600 championship wraps up with the series’ first ever race at the Red Star Raceway outside Delmas in Mpumalanga Saturday 26 October. With the race on track down to pride, while the real focus will be squarely on the fight for second. Scott Temple has already long clinched this year’s title, but the fight for second is nowhere near over.

Jozi star Temple (Road to Race/1st Race Mygale) had built up a strong title lead with a dominant early season performance before 2017 champion Julian van der Watt (Investchem/Wulfchiptegnik Mygale) returned to take the on track fight to Temple. 

Through that, Capetonian van der Watt has taken just three meetings to win five races and end second once, to move into third in the title race and he arrives at Red Star just ten points behind Nicholas Van Weely (Magnificent Paints & Hardware van Diemen). In essence, for Julian to pass van Weely, he needs to start from pole position, win both races and set the fastest lap of the day. All Nicholas needs do in that case is finish third in both races. Gripping stuff.

Tiago Rebelo (TRMS Mygale) sits a safe fourth in the title race, but there is a war raging for fifth with four points splitting the ever-consistent Andrew Schofield (Investchem Mygale), young guns Andrew Rackstraw (RDSA Investchem Mygale) and Siyabonga Mankonkwana (Investchem Cervinia Mygale) and Alex Gillespie (ERP Trucking Components Mygale). That promises to be a fine race.

Ivana Cetinich (Alpha Universal Mygale) will be out to wrap up her Class B title against fellow rookies Alex Vos (Ecurie Zoo/ DV Build van Diemen) and Zac Edwards (SCM Mygale) and Brendan Tracey (Investchem Mygale), with Class B resistance from Allen Meyer.

Red Star will also see three men making their debuts as dad Org replaces the exam-writing Gerard alongside Antwan Geldenhuys (Abacus Division Mygales), while Richard Schurhardt steps from a classic racing Porsche into an RS Mygale and young karter Zaeem Goolam makes his main circuit debut in another Mygale.

Immediately after Saturday’s action, Investchem Formula 1600 champion Scott Temple will fly out to England to compete in the UK Walter Hayes International Formula Ford Trophy at Silverstone as part of his prize for his title success. He will be joined there on track by fellow F1600 stars Julian van der Watt, Alex Gillespie, Andrew and Ian Schofield.

Investchem Formula 1600 action happens alongside all the regular Extreme Festival action, with most SA national circuit titles still to be secured at Red Star Saturday 26 October. Sounds like a great reason to head out along the N12 to Zonderfout Farm just off interchange 485 near Delmas for a brilliant Saturday of racing...