Summarize

The ATE VW Challenge more than just contributed to the action when the Regional Extreme Festival visited Zwartkops for its midwinter round on Saturday. Not only did the races play host to several sexy new look cars, but the results served to shake up the championship in all three classes. 

The weekend excitement started with several new cars bearing liveries turned up for Friday practice but come qualifying, it was Christopher Tait’s familiar King Price Xtreme Polo on pole by a tenth from Anthony Lessing’s new look Ocean Marine Village version. A familiar face, Stelio Nousias stepped back to claim third on his Class A debut from Ian Walker’s Mellow Velo version, Josh Moore’s Worx GQ Puma machine, Class B graduate Francis Aldrich, Drikus Du Plessis’ new-look Hencom Autobody Polo and Mydi Mfana.

Keyaan Dwomoh was another cart to carry a fresh Adhive look and he celebrated that with a super-close Class B pole position from championship rivals, Nathans Motorsport lad Keegan Nathan, and Sebastian Bouilliart’s Applied Heat car. Max Corbett’s Century Racing machine followed from Chris Davison’s GSi Generator entry, Northern Bolt & Tool lad Jonathan Konig and Martin de Beer’s MLP version.

Class C leader Bryce Pillay’s Techtisa Matelico Polo Vivo took the Brat Pack pole by two hundreths of a second from Stuart Konig’s Northern Bolt version and CarDoc Service man Andy Gossma. Next up, Elna Croeser stepped into the ATE Brakes Vivo seat hubby Philip normally occupies to close off the grid alongside Dimitri Zapheriou.

The opening ATE VW Challenge race delivered on that qualifying promise with the closest of racing. Christopher Tait however did enough to keep Anthony Lessing in check for the win, with Josh Moore benefiting a great start to follow them home in third. An entertaining spat ensued for fourth as Ian Walker who claimed the spot from Stelio Nousias, Francis Aldrich, and Drikus Du Plessis.

Keyaan Dwomoh likewise kept Keegan Nathan, Sebastian Bouilliart, Chris Davison, and Jonathan Konig in Class B. Martin de Beer followed from Robbie Cosani, who started from the back but put one over Max Corbett. Some would say the Class C action was perhaps a touch too close. Stuart Konig picked up the pieces to win from Elna Croeser, Dimitri Zapheriou and a delayed Bryce Pillay after Andy Gossman exited on lap 2.

Once it re-started, the red flagged second race delivered a thrilling battle between Christopher Tait and Anthong Lessing. Lessing grabbed the lead on the final tour to take a popular win. Josh Moore, Ian Walker, Francis Aldrich, and Drikus du Plessis also found their way past a clearly struggling Tait with Mydi Mfana seventh. 

Keegan Nathan meantime put one over Keyaan Dwomoh and Sebastien Bouillart in Class B, with Jonathan Konig, Chris Davison, Martin de Beer, and Max Corbett in chase. Bryce Pillay led the early Class C battle only for Stuart Konig to take charge and clear off for the win from Pillay, Elna Croeser made a welcome return and was raced hard to third in class. 

Overall, Lessing took the day from Moore and Walker, young guns Dwomoh took Class B from Nathan and Bouilliart and Konig beat Croeser and Zapheriou in Class C. The ATE VW Challenge takes a break for July before heading to Gqeberha for its annual away meeting at Aldo Scribante on 8 August.