Summarize

Chemical Logistics Racing’s triple former champion Robert Wolk returned to the top step of the South African Touring Cars podium for the first time since his sabbatical last year. Wolk scores a compelling overall victory at Aldo Scribante’s third round National Extreme Festival in Gqeberha on Saturday. 

“It was truly heartening to witness Robert back at his awe inspiring best over the past weekend,” Chemical Logistics Racing team patron Ian Schofield admitted. “It took a couple of races to blow the cobwebs away, but three races in, he’s right back on it, so we can’t wait to see how the rest of the season pans out. The rest of the lads had various levels of luck and success over the weekend, but we had all cars finish and a good points haul across the board. So a satisfying weekend overall.”

Robert Wolk was on or about the pace from the moment he stepped into his Chemical Logistics WCT Volkswagen Golf GTI on Thursday. He then drove to a compelling pole position before taking a lights to flag full points feature race win in the opening heat. “It’s so good to be back where we belong!” Robert smiled. “My Golf was on rails; I was delighted with pole and over the moon with the win.” Robert then drove to a hard fought fourth in the reverse grid race 2 to take the day. “That was a bit tougher on the tight Aldo Scribante, but we did what we came here to do. Kudos to Stuart and the guys!”

Keegan Campos emerged best of the Chemical Logistics rest with a positive weekend aboard his Campos Veloce FAST BMW 128ti. Qualifying third, he moved up to second early in heat 1 and stayed there. Fifth on the race 2 reverse grid, Keegan was up to third but ended sixth following a fraught dice to claim fourth for the day. “Happy with heat 1, but race 2 went the wrong way from a strong position” Keegan pondered. “Pity, but that’s just racing. Thanks to Fred and the FAST boys for a fine BMW once again this weekend!”

KC Ensor-Smith enjoyed an adventurous weekend. Qualifying fourth, he slipped off on the opening lap to drop to the back before fighting up to sixth. Starting the reverse grid race on pole, Toyota team tactics saw him shuffled to third, for which KC engaged in a huge dice with Keegan Campos and Robert Wolk. The rookie however fought back to a splendid third. “That was a busy day,”  KC smiled. “I was disappointed to lose my pole advantage, but particularly proud to have beaten both Robert and Keegan to third in race 2. Thanks to Ian, Stuart, and WCT for an awesome car as always!”

Andrew Schofield delivered a workmanlike job through a fraught weekend in his FlySafair Chemical Logistics FAST BMW 128ti. “We had a good, clean weekend en route to sixth for the day, so a decent points haul to keep adding to my tally.” Championship leader Julian van der Watt was relieved to get off lightly from a difficult weekend in his We Buy Cars Investchem WCT Volkswagen Golf GTI. “This one just went backwards,” Julian rued. “We qualified second, ended third in race 1 but then I was delayed early in race 2 and all I could do was run home in seventh. Fortunately the weekend made little difference in the points, so its onwards and upward from here!”

Chemical Logistics Racing runs five South African Touring Cars. Its three Volkswagen Golf GTIs are prepared by WCT Engineering at Kyalami, while FAST Racing operates the team’s two BMW 128tis out of Zwartkops. The team returns to the Eastern Cape next for fifth round Extreme Festival at the East London Grand Prix Circuit on 15 August.