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Hennie Groenewald (Caltex
Havoline Jaguar) and reigning Wesbank V8 Supercar Champion, Grant van
Schalkwyk, shared honours at Zwartkops Racing Circuit on Saturday with
a win apiece in two tightly fought races.
More important, it gave Hennie Groenewald his 9th
win in 14 races and an almost unassailable lead of 45 points over van
Schalkwyk, in his bid to take this year’s title. Only a run of bad
luck in the remaining 6 races will prevent this happening.
In Race One, 17 cars got away to a rolling start
with pole-sitter van Schalkwyk hoping to keep his championships
chances alive, leading with Groenewald under his rear wing. This
continued until lap 4 when van Schalkwyk retired to the pits when
gears stripped in his gearbox. This left Verron Pappas (Caltex
Havoline Jaguar) – a South African 250 Kart Champion - making a
comeback to Wesbank racing, slotting into 2nd spot to give
the Caltex Havoline Team a one-two finish – the first time a Caltex
team has ever achieved this in the world.
Pappas was under pressure from Jimmy Auby (Bosal
Jaguar), Zane Pearce (Hi-Q Jaguar) and Jaco Correia (Omega Spares
Corvette) throughout the 15 laps.
Franco di Matteo, (Deltec Batteries Jaguar) took
the 410 kW GT2 class and his second win of the season from class
leader, Terry Wilford (Fuchs Titan Mustang) by 1 second.
Race 2 for the 450 kW GT1 class saw van Schalkwyk,
with a new gearbox fitted, come out fighting to tail Hennie Groenewald
aggressively until 3 laps from the end when he pushed past him – to
take his first win since the last Zwartkops meeting back in May.
Pappas once again shone in 3rd place with Pearce and Auby 4th
and 5th.
Win 3 of the season came di Matteo’s way once again
in the GT2 Class, this time with young stars, Gordon Connolly (Dezzi /
Cowan Signs Jaguar), and Wilford 2nd and 3rd.
RESULTS
GT1 Class
First Race:
1.
Groenewald
2.
Pappas
3.
Auby
Second Race
1.
van Schalkwyk
2.
Groenewald
3.
Pappas
GT2 Class
First Race
1.
di Matteo
2.
Wilford
3.
Connolly
Second Race
1.
di Matteo
2.
Connolly
3.
Wilford |
