Summarize

The PABAR VW Challenge returned to action in style at the Red Star Raceway as the Masters brothers dominated up front, Stuart Mack and Mo Karodia shared wild Class B honours and Judd Bertholdt led a fine schoolboy young gun Class C 1-2-3. 

First things first, the entire field gathered for a group photograph as a gesture to Michael Zapheriou still sidelined after being injured at the previous race, before getting down to the business of racing.

Wayne Masters arrived with a turbo engine in his  Performance Masters Polo, meaning he shifted to Class X. That left brother Bevin to take the Class A pole position from Mydi Mfana’s MDS Consulting car and PSA Africa lass Nicole Lombard after Miguel Dias’ Performance Masters Polo hit trouble in qualifying.

There was a surprise Class B front row as former C champion Ian Walker shook off a shocking season so far to plant his Mellow Velo car on pole position from an on form Dewald Theron’s ARD car. Regular frontrunners, Stuart Mack’s turbo litre Nathan's Polo, Mo Karodia’s Fast 5 Polo sedan and Ethan Coetzee’s JRT Polo hatch followed. 

Bond Gallery’s Charisse Piazza Musso, Anthony Lessing’s Csol car and Dubcorp lad Shiren Rajpaul were next from ever-improving Josh Wilford’s Coating Techniques car and Francis Aldrich’s VaporWorx version. Eco Simply Solar racer Tinahe Ncube, Jacques Hayes’ Platinum Wheels and Adriaan and Martin de Beer’s MLP Polos followed.

With Michael Zapheriou sidelined, 16-year old duo, maiden pole lad Judd Bertholdt’s Sizanzi and Chris Tait’s GoPro Vivos sandwiched Goose Andy Gossman on the front of the Class C grid. Insurisk lad Kyle Petersen was next from Mitch Coetzee’s JRT car, Rezcom driver Dino Smit, Philip Croeser’s ATE Vivo VMS lad Tyron Pillay, Cody Petersen, and Allan Pereira.

The opening race proved to be a bit of a Masters demonstration up front, ultimately decided Bevin’s way as he headed brother Wayne across the line by all of a tenth of a second. Miguel Dias fought back to third after his qualifying challenges ahead of Mydi Mfana, with Nicole Lombard further back.

Stuart Mack took Class B from Ethan Coetzee and Dewald Theron after Piazza Musso and Karodia went out on lap 3, and pole man Ian Walker hit trouble a couple of laps later. All of which left Shiren Rajpaul third from Anthony Lessing, Josh Wilford, Jacques Hayes, Francis Aldrich, Tinahe Ncube, and Martin and Adriaan de Beer.

The youngsters dominated Class C as Judd Bertholdt took his maiden win in only his second PABAR VW Challenge outing from fellow schoolboy rivals, Christopher Tate, and Kyle Petersen. Andy Gossman led elder adversaries Mitch Coetzee, Philip Croeser and Dino Smit home, with Tyron Pillay, Cody Petersen, and Allan Pereira in chase.

The second race proved another humdinger. Quick off the line Miguel Dias shot into second behind Wayne, but dropped to third as the race progressed, leaving the Masters Wayne and Bevin to fight it out up front. Wayne just ultimately drove home just two-tenths clear of Bevin, with Ncube fourth from Lombard.

Ethan Coetzee led the train of Class B cars, until a determined Karodia went ahead, making off to win and make up for his race 1 woes, as Coetzee fended. Mack off for second. Karodia was however later put behind Mack in third for boisterous driving tactics, handing Coetzee the win. Wilford was a fine fourth from Lessing and Piazza Musso, Rajpaul, Theron, Walker, Hayes, Ncube, Aldrich and Martin de Beer.

Judd Bertholdt  firmly put his troubled start to the season behind him as he led fellow teenager Christopher Tait home to make it a double for the day. Andy Gossman had to fight for third from Kyle Petersen. Dino Smit was best of the rest from Croeser, Pillay, Pereira, and Petersen.

With Wayne Masters in Class X, Bevin won Class A from Miguel Dias. Stuart Mack ultimately took Class B from Ethan Coetzee and a happy Dewald Theron. Judd Bertholdt led Chris Tate and Kyle Petersen in a fine young gun Brat Pack 1-2-3. PABAR VW Challenge heads to Zwartkops Raceway’s 8 June round 4 Regional Festival next.