Summarize

Willie unstoppable at Red Star as Venter takes Pursuit

The legend himself, Willie Hepburn disappeared into the distance to win both Historic Racing South Africa Universal Healthcare Pre-81 Saloon and Pre-81 Sports and GT races on Saturday. Hepburn and the Amtek Opel Rekord V8 he once raced new in national modified racing in the ‘80s, proved unstoppable as he stormed to Sports & GT victory over Richard de Roos’ RDR Porsche 911 RSR both times.

It was far closer fought in the Universal Saloon Cars as Class C VW Scirocco men Stuart Konig (Nothern Bolt & Tool) and Jannie van Rooyen provided the main entertainment. The duo was split by just three tenths of a second at the flag. Marius Verwey's wailing Mazda R100 rotary 51 took class D ahead of Alan Green's wheel-waving original Star Modified Ford Escort, Polo Cup refugee Devin Robertson's Big Boss Datsun and Andre ten Napel in his TNMC Medical VW Scirocco.

Rene van Rensburg romped to the Class E win in his SV Tech Ford Escort. Behind him Marco Verwey Datsun GX Coupe held off Riaan Roux's Addfin Scirocco with Neil Lobb's Fiat 131 and Tony Lundin SilverGuard Datsun dicing further back. Reigning HRSA Saloon Car champion and overall winner Willie’s nephew, Sean Hepburn's HiQ Midrand Datsun 1200 Deluxe trotted to the Class G win over Jaco Roux in his VW Scirocco.

Riaan de Ru’s Vestige Ford Prefect took Class G ahead of Andre Dannhauser’s Toyota SR5. GT man George Avvakoumides' Porsche 911 RSR, Class C runner Johann Smith's JMS Capella and Class G man Jan Jacobs' Olifantsfontein Alfa Romeo GT Junior all ran into trouble and Gerhard Henning's VW Scirocco did not make the start. 

Willie Hepburn made off again to win race 2. All the more remarkable in that equation is that the combined age of man and his car added up, totals more or less 120 years!

Stuart Konig's and Jannie van Rooyen’s saloon car battling saloon car Sciroccos both got past de Roos at two thirds distance, but the Porsche man was soon back ahead. That left Stuart to pip Jannie by six-tenths second time around. Marius Verwey beat Alan Green by 1.4 seconds to clinch Class D, with Andre ten Napel third after Devin Robertson retired.

Rene van Rensburg trotted off to another easy Class E win, leaving Neil Lobb to fend off Marco Verwey and Riaan Roux after Tony Lundin stopped. Jaco Roux inherited the Class F win after Sean Hepburn stopped with a lap to go, but had done enough to pick up second. And Riaan de Ru made it a double Class G win over Andre Dannhauser


Frans is the Pursuit King
It was a street car Fines win for Riaan Roux in the first back-to-front handicap Charlies Super Spar Pursuit race in his Scirocco from race car Trophy class winner Kola de Klerk’s Nissan 300 ZX. Clive Winterstein ended third on his classic Trophy Porsche 356 A from Trophy rival Frans Venter's Datsun 280 ZX, Gary Stacey’s Fines Cortina XR6 and Trophy man Willem van Niekerk’s unique Marauder. 

Tiaan Vermeulen was next up in his Nissan 300 ZX, ahead of Joshua de Klerk’s Honda Civic, Devon Martin’s Datsun 1200 GX and Machiel Oberholzer’s Mercedes 190E. Wynand du Plessis Jr. was next up in a Toyota MR2 from Andre Hattingh in another 190E and Althea Pretorius’ Nissan Exa.

Porsche five, Wynand du Plessis Sr, Tihan van Rooyen and Brad Schafer’s 944s, Wernher Hartzenberg’s 928 and Tim Abbot’s 914/6, Henk de Klerk’s Mitsubishi Starion, Robert Clark’s Citroen and Sean Hepburn’s Datsun all broke out of their handicap brackets and were excluded.

Wynand du Plessis Sr. then kept it clean to win race 2 in his Fines Porsche, from Sean Hepburn’s and Devon Martin’s Trophy Datsun 1200 GXs split by Wernher Hartzenberg’s 928, Frans Venter's Fines Datsun 280 ZX. Robert Clark’s Citroen GS 1200, Joshua and Kola de Klerk were next up from Clive Winterstein, Willem van Niekerk and Tiaan Vermeulen. The rest broke out.

The upshot of all that, was that Frans Venter took the day and the Fines win ahead of Josh de Klerk and Tiaan Vermeulen, while Kola de Klerk took the Trophy win from Clive Winterstein and Willem van Niekerk.

Historic Racing South Africa gang return to action at Zwartkops near Pretoria on Saturday 10 October.

ENDS

Issued on behalf of Historic Racing SA

What:Historic Racing SA Round 3 Report
Where:Red Star Raceway, Delmas
When:Saturday 19 September 2020
Community:South Africa National

For further information please contact stewart@bmautogroup.co.za

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