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Jimmy Auby
Hennie Groenewald
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It is back to business for WesBank Super Series competitors at
the Bridgestone Adrenalin Race Day at Kyalami on July 7, with
high stakes for championship hopefuls.
The season is at a stage where those with championship
aspirations at the start of the campaign are either on track
or have under achieved. For those who are on track they need
to keep the momentum going, and for the under achievers good
results are needed at the Midrand circuit to avoid playing
catch-up over the rest of the season.
The national programme again features three saloon car
categories and two motorcycle categories. The Bridgestone
Production Car Championship, the WesBank V8 Supercars and the
Engen VW Polo Cup supply the four-wheel action with the Citi
Bike SA Superbike Championship and the Citi Bike SA Supersport
Championship keeping the bikers happy.
There are not too many comfort zones to be found in the
various championship battles. And, in some case, three or four
competitors are separated by only a handful of points.
It all adds up to plenty of action at a circuit that since
1961 has been the home of South African motorsport. The
management at Kyalami are making a big effort to woo crowds
back to motor racing, and those in possession of a copy of
Citi Motoring, the motor supplement published in The Citizen
on Wednesdays, will gain access to the circuit for a R20
parking levy – regardless of the number of people in the car.
Adults not in possession of a copy of Citi Motoring will have
to fork out R20 a head on what is a once off promotion. The
same conditions apply to bikers who need to lay their hands on
a copy of Citi Bike published in The Citizen on Tuesdays.
The action will get underway on July 6 with official practice
and qualifying sessions. Racing on July 7 is scheduled to
start at 10h30.
WesBank V8 Supercars
Reigning WesBank V8 Supercar champion Hennie Groenewald, in
the SP Racing Jaguar, is the one driver who will arrive at
Kyalami cocooned in a comfort zone.
Six wins in a row have lifted Groenewald into a 38 point lead
over arch rival and former champion Grant van Schalkwyk in the
Hi-Q Jaguar. Groenewald is very much the form horse but the
law of averages will be in the back of his mind and van
Schalkwyk, back from a Nascar test in the United States, will
be looking to put an end to Groenewald’s winning streak.
Young Jimmy Auby, third in the championship in the Tyco/Jonnesway
Jaguar, will be keen to keep his momentum going, but is being
chased by Mackie Adlem (Fuchs Titan Ford Mustang) and Gordon
Connolly in the Dezzi/Cowan Signs Jaguar. Only six points
separate the trio so there is plenty at stake.
Veteran Zane Pearce (Hi-Q Jaguar), Jade Gutzeit (Dezzi/Trysome
Ford Mustang) and Robert Briggs (Timken Jaguar), the reigning
Engen VW Cup champion, have ground to make up in the overall
championship. But only two points separate the trio, so the
scene is set for fireworks.
Veteran Larry Wilford will hand over the Fuchs Titan Mustang
to son Terry, who won the GT2 championship last year, for the
Kyalami outing. The younger Wilford could make an immediate
impact, while the “old man” is hoping to be out in the newly
acquired ex Ian Young Opel Astra.
Richard Pinnard (Permatex Jaguar), veterans Willie Hepburn (Motorsport
Logistics Corvette) and Vernon Bricknell (Nationwide Jaguar),
the Correia brothers in the Omega Spares Corvettes and Franco
di Matteo, in the Deltec Jaguar, all bring something to the
party. And the now established inverted grid in race two will
also add a touch of potential drama to what should be two
explosive heats.
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