Summarize

Cape Town lad remains unbeaten in Investchem Formula 1600

There was no stopping Andrew Rackstraw from continuing his dominance of the 2021 Investchem South African Formula 1600 championship. The Cape Town youngster powered to another double victory at Saturday’s Extreme Festival nationals at Aldo Scribante in Port Elizabeth. Rackstraw has now won every race of the 2021 season to take his race winning streak to six out of six.

There was a glimmer of hope when Josh le Roux had the rare distinction of topping the second practice session from Rackstraw on Friday, but when it came down to business, Andrew was back in charge as he qualified his Investchem RDSA Mygale on pole by a tenth of a second from Jarrod Waberski's DAW Mygale. Le Roux was third in his Mygale from Nicholas Van Weely's Magnificent Paints & Hardware Van Diemen and Antwan Geldenhuys' Abacus Divisions Mygale. 

Andrew Schofield was next up in the Safair Investchem Mygale from Ewan Holtzhausen' Total Plastics Mygale, Alex Vos' Ecurie Zoo DV Building Supplies Van Diemen, Gerard Geldenhuys' Abacus Mygale and Brendan Tracey in another Investchem Mygale. The 1600s were joined by the old school Formula Ford Kents at Aldo Scribante, where veteran Ian Schofield put his Investchem Mygale on pole from Dean Venter’s Chamber 77 Van Diemen. 

Graham Hepburn was third among the Kents aboard his Qualipak Van Diemen ahead of another veteran, Allen Meyer’s Van Diemen, Ronald van Weely's similar Magnificent Paints & Hardware machine, Graham Vos in an Ecurie Zoo Swift, Jeff Gable’s Van Diemen and Steve Venter in his Desso Equipment Swift.

Rackstraw made no mistakes as he powered away from the start of Race 1, leaving van Weely to pick le Roux off for third behind Waberski. Le Roux took a lap to find his way back past van Weely, by when Rackstraw and Waberski were well gone as the top four settled into the chase. Behind them, Holtzhausen was coming under pressure from Alex Vos, who went wide out of Turn 1, skated over the kerb, planted his van Diemen in the tyre wall and headed off to an early shower.

That left Holtzhausen to fifth from Antwan Geldenhuys and Andrew Schofield, who jumped Gerard Geldenhuys for seventh early on, with Brendan Tracey next up. There was drama among the Kents as neither pole man Ian Schofield nor Meyer made the grid, leaving the field about 150 years short of experience. Dean Venter trotted off to the win from Ron van Weely, Graham Vos and Gable after Hepburn was docked three places to end up fifth from Steve Venter.

Alex Vos and Brendan Tracey did not make the second race start as Rackstraw powered away from the lights. Josh le Roux and Antwan Geldenhuys then tumbled down the field on the first lap, leaving Rackstraw with Waberski all over him for most of the race and van Weely leading the chase from Ewan Holtzhausen, Geldenhuys and Andrew Schofield. Antwan Geldenhuys and le Roux both fought their way back through the Kent field to end up seventh and eighth.

Behind them, Graham Hepburn mugged Ian Schofield in his attempt to take the Kent lead with Hepburn's stricken machine causing the red flag to curtail the race a couple of laps early. Schofield recovered to take the class by 7 seconds from Graham Vos and Hepburn. Jeff Gable and Allen Meyer took advantage of Dean Venter going off twice in the latter stages to come home fourth and fifth as Gable also passed Meyer in the process, with Ron van Weely and Steve Venter next up. 

Overall, it was another day of Andrew Rackstraw domination as he broke the lap record on his way to come home ahead of an impressive Jarrod Waberski, who has shown the best promise of toppling his rival. Nicholas van Weely had a clean weekend at last to come home third from consistent trio Holtzhausen, Andrew Schofield and Gerard Geldenhuys, with brother Antwan next up ahead of le Roux after their adventures. 

In spite of an adventurous weekend, Graham Hepburn came home top in the Kents ahead of Dean Venter, Graham Vos and Ron Van Weely.

All of which provisionally leaves Andrew Rackstraw with more than a perfect weekend’s worth of Investchem Formula 1600 championship points clear of Jarrod Waberski in the title chase. He has a reasonable cushion to le Roux and van Weely tied in third. Alex Vos is all alone in fifth ahead of the fight for sixth with Gerard Geldenhuys, Ewan Holtzhausen, Andrew Schofield and Antwan Geldenhuys separated by all of three points.

Investchem Formula 1600 heads to its midwinter midseason appointment at the East London Grand Prix Circuit Saturday 3 July.

ENDS

Issued on behalf of Investchem Formula 1600

What:2021 SA Investchem Formula 1600 Championship Round 3 Race Report
Where:Aldo Scribante, Gqeberha EP
When:Saturday 29 May 2021
Community:South Africa National

For further information please contact kgregory@investchem.co.za

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