Summarize

Jason Coetzee knew what he had to do to steal the SA Senior Max karting title at Zwartkops on Saturday, but his efforts were thwarted early on leaving him to fight for a close but ultimately most satisfying second in the title race. Cape Town driver Coetzee had to win every race and his main rival Dominic Lincoln needed to be third or worse, but a first race incident put paid to his efforts.

“We knew it was all or nothing and that it was a long shot, but we gave it our best,” Jason admitted. “I put it on pole and led the first eight laps of the first race, but then I was tagged into a spin by Wayland Wyman and dropped to eighth — I clawed back to sixth and made up a place due to other penalties. “Wyman also dropped from second to third because of a nose cone infringement after tagging me, but my championship was out the window.

“I won the second race and ended third in the third and then took the final win to take second in the championship in the end — I pipped Wyman by less than the points he lost by dropping that place for his nose cone penalty, so there was a little gratification for us in that. “Congratulations to Dominic — he’d have taken the title whatever happened today, so well done to him.”

Jason also raced in DD2, but only drove two of the four heats at Zwartkops. “We needed to focus on Senior Max, but I also wanted to keep my eighth in the DD2 chase, which meant we had to bag two decent points finishes. “I did that with a ninth in heat two and eighth in the final to end up just behind my EMR Extreme teammate Umpie Swart and eighth in the championship.

“I’m proud to be top rookie in DD2 for 2018 — especially in a field as strong as that with so many SA and world champions at all levels among them. “There are so many people too thank for all the work that went into this championship effort — least of all my folks, my mechanic Senior Kloppers and my DD2 Extreme Racing Team — thanks to everyone — it’s been tough at times but a good year overall.”