Summarize

The 2022 Rotax Max National Karting season steps up a gear with both round 3 of the Rotax Max Nationals and the wildcard Rotax Max African Open at iDube near Pietermaritzburg in KZN over the 15-17 July weekend. While the national season moves into its second half with each class’ champion earning a slot in the squad once crowned later in the season, Sunday's African Open also pays the winner of Mini, Junior and Senior Max, and DD2 a ticket to the ‘Olympics of Karting’ Rotax Max Grand Finals in Portugal. And other great prizes for Bambino, Micro and DD2 Masters. So it’s all to play for in KZN this weekend.

Cape lad Sebastian Boyd appears to be the man to beat in premier direct drive two speed gearbox class DD2. He has compatriot Joseph Oelz, Jozi gang, brothers Brandon and Jamie Smith,  Kian Grottis, Nicolas Spanoyannis, Divan Braak, Niko Zafiris and Wayland Wyman, and another Cape kid Kyle Visser to deal with. So, who will book a wildcard Open berth and who will still fight it out to the Zwartkops National Finals in September, remains to be seen.

Multiple Rotax Max World Champion, KZN local hero Cristiano Morgado has entered DD2 for Saturday and DD2 Masters for Sunday. In Masters he will face Eugene Brittz, fellow Gauteng man Nick Verheul and KZN racer Jonathan Pieterse will continue to fight it out against Cape driver Conor Hughes and Alistair Mingay from KZN, who is likely to be a factor on his home track. And don't discount Veterans drivers Philippe Chapat,  Frikkie Cornelius or Derrick Josep either.

 

Senior Max has proven incident packed so far this season, but double champion Tate Bishop has kept it together to lead the way to KZN. He will have to fend off Roshaan Goodman, Muhammad Wally, Moosa Kajee, Ethan Stier and Olerato Sekudu. Expect Karabo Malemela, Délon Thompson, local hero Troy Snyman and Bishop’s Polo Cup rival Charl Visser to quite literally be out for revenge following exclusions on various fronts last time out.

 

Toyota Gazoo Academy lad KC Ensor-Smith remains unbeaten in high school Junior Max Nationals this year. He should once again prove a hard nut to crack at iDube. Erich Heystek,  Jayden Goosen, Wian Boshoff , Mohammed Moerat and local lad Dhivyen Naidoo will be out to stop him. Don’t discount Junior Max regulars Matt Wadeley, Jonno Wilson, Nicolaos Vostanis, Ashton Repsold or Ndzalo Khoza.

 

In primary school action, Kent Swartz will want to keep Aadam Kajee, Georgia Lenaerts, Cape kid Jordon Wadeley and local KZN hero Travis Mingay at bay in under-13 Mini Max. Others to watch here are Durelle Goodman, fancied Cape driver Keagan Beaumont, Kegan Martin, Amani Kinyua and Matthew Chiwara. Expect them all to fight hard in Saturday’s National and only one to walk away with a ticket to don the green and gold in Portugal, on Sunday.

 

Rafael Da Silva, Tayln Patel and Emma Dowling arrive at iDube’s double header as under-11 Micro Max favourites. They will have the full attention of Pretoria lad Cristian Verheul, Cape kid Aiden Beaumont, Johan Nolte, Rafael De Sousa, Santi Frade, Matthew Shuttleworth and Franco Gibhard among a highly competitive field of rivals over the double header weekend.

 

Noah Cronje will be keen to get one back over Brodi Dowling in their baby Bambino national dice, with Diego Antunes, Adriaan Steyn, Benjamin Gibhard and Callum du Toit also in the mix. Jenson Dias, Ronaldo Koen, Michael O’Mahoney and Jayden van der Merwe are all getting faster every heat and they will all be chasing Sunday’s African Open prize of their very own replica Team SA suit!

So, all eyes are now squarely on iDube near Pietermaritzburg in KZN over the 15-17 July weekend for round 4 of the Rotax Max Nationals and the wildcard Rotax Max African Open. Sounds like a great day’s entertainment, both live at iDube, or via livestream at wwe.kart.co.za.