Summarize

Julian van der Watt dominated the feature race from pole position to take the South African Touring Cars day at Red Star on Saturday, while Keegan Campos scored a comeback win in the reverse grid second heat. Astron Energy Polo Cup champion and series rookie Rory Atkinson meantime took control of the SATC SupaCup with a double victory at the Delmas raceway’s second round National Extreme Festival. 

There was big news in the lead up to the Red Star race when Campos confirmed his return after missing the opening round in his Veloce Automobili Campos Transport Chemical Logistics FAST BMW 128ti. Perhaps even bigger news was multiple champion Robert Wolk’s return aboard a brand new Chemical Logistics Volkswagen Golf GTI. Robert’s return was only confirmed in race week and he was quickly up to speed.

Wolk was just not quick enough to prevent WCT teammate van der Watt from grabbing his second pole position on the trot in his Investchem Volkswagen Golf GTI from Robert and rookie Killarney debut winner KC Ensor-Smith’s African Heating Investchem car to make it a WCT Golf GTI grid 1-2-3. Campos’ BMW lined up fourth from rookie Jason Coetzee and champion Michael van Rooyen’s Toyota Gazoo Racing Corollas and Andrew Schofield’s FlySafair Chemical Logistics FAST BMW 128ti.

Wolk and Campos were not the only high profile drivers to make a return. Bradley Liebenberg made an SATC SupaCup comeback and wasted no time to qualify second behind impressive former Rookie Cup champion and pole man, Judd Bertholdt’s Union Power Energy car. Rookies, reigning Astron Energy Polo Cup champion Rory Atkinson’s Easy Drive car, ever impressive AF Fans lass Tyler Robinson, log leader Jason Loosemore’s Nathans car and Niko Zafiris followed. 

Nikki Vostanis lined up seventh on the all-Volkswagen SupaPolo SATC SupaCup grid ahead of Cape lad David Franco, brothers Paulo and Masters driver Rick Loureiro and Jared Rossouw. Muhammed Wally hit gearbox trouble in qualifying after showing great practice pace and did not start. There was more drama before the start, however. Both SupaCup front row qualifiers Bertholdt and Liebenberg were sent to the back of the grid.

Julian van der Watt made up for his terrible Killarney start with a blinder, but behind him, three into one don’t go as Wolk and a quick starting Campos came together only to be clobbered from behind by Ensor-Smith. That took Wolk out as Campos visited the pits while van der Watt made off  to an easy win. Coetzee avoided the turn 1 shambles to fight Ensor-Smith’s battered GTI off for second, with van Rooyen fourth from Schofield and Campos a lap down, but good enough for pole for reverse grid race 2. 

Rory Atkinson took his gifted pole position with both hands to initially fend Robinson off before making off up front with Tyler, Loosemore, Vostanis and Zafiris in chase. Bertholdt and Liebenberg were on the move from the back and soon past Zafiris in their fight back. Atkinson held on for a delighted maiden SupaCup win from an equally happy Robinson, with Loosemore too far up the road in third for flying Bertholdt to catch, while Vostanis held Liebenberg off from Zafiris, Franco, Rick, and Paulo Loureiro and Rossouw.

The second race saw a cleaner start as Schofield got the jump on Campos, Ensor-Smith, van Rooyen, van der Watt and Wolk. Only Coetzee took a solo trip wide. Campos soon passed his BMW teammate who also fell victim to van Rooyen and Ensor-Smith. But van Rooyen hit trouble and slowed to leave Ensor-Smith under pressure from der Watt, with Wolk in chase. Coetzee came back to nick fifth from Schofield while van Rooyen limped home to seventh as Campos sailed to a comeback victory from Ensor-Smith and van der Watt.

Rory Atkinson made short work of the second SupaCup race as Loosemore, Liebenberg and Bertholdt found a way past Robinson. Vostanis followed from Paulo Loureiro, Zafiris, Rick Loureiro, Rossouw and a struggling Franco. Overall, Julian van der Watt took the day from rookies KC Ensor-Smith and Jason Coetzee, Schofield, van Rooyen, Campos and Wolk. And Rory Atkinson took SATC SupaCup from Jason Loosemore, Tyler Robinson,  Bertholdt and Liebenberg. 

South African Touring Cars and SATC SupaCup will remain on the highveld for the third  round of the National Extreme Festival at Zwartkops Raceway in Pretoria on Saturday 23 May. Diarise it now!