TIMKEN JAG TEAM GO 1-2 IN WESBANK V8 CHAMPIONSHIP
22 October 2007

by
Roger McCleery

The Timken WesBank V8 Team took all before them on Saturday on the high speed East London Grand Prix Circuit, when the same car won both races with two different drivers in an action packed afternoon of racing collisions and engines that did not take kindly to long flat out straights at maximum revs.

The first race saw 2007 WesBank V8 Champion, Hennie Groenewald (SP Racing/Timken Jaguar) romp away unchallenged from pole position to win by six seconds. The expected challenge from Mackie Adlem (Kyalami Fuchs Titan Mustang) lasted two laps when Adlem retired at Cox’s Corner with a broken gearbox.

This left veteran Larry Wilford (Fuchs Titan Mustang) in 2^nd spot with the fastest lap of the day, leading two youngsters, Marc Auby (Masana Petroleum Jaguar) and Roof of Africa Motorcycle winner, Jade Gutzeit (Dezzi/Trysome Mustang) to the flag. Then came a hard fight between East London’s Wade van Zummeren (Teazers Mustang), Gordon Connelly (Dezzi/Cowan Signs Jaguar), Willie Hepburn (Motorsport Logistics Solutions Corvette), Richard Pinard (Team Permatex/Timken Jaguar) and Danie Correia (Omega Parts Corvette) who all finished in close company at the flag.

With the starting grid inverted for the second race, Hennie Groenewald, who had wrapped up the championship two meetings ago, sportingly lent his car to Robert Briggs, who was lying 3^rd in the championship. Briggs had blown an engine in Race One.

Hepburn led off the line for three glorious laps until Briggs from 12^th position on the grid pushed past Hepburn on the high speed Potters Pass at 260 kmh, to lead to the end, and see Timken Jaguars in 1^st and 2^nd in the championship. Gordon Connelly had a strong 3^rd with local boy, Wade van Zummeren 4^th. Larry Wilford, who had gone farming in the complex, dropped to the back of the field but fought his way back to 5^th position.

RESULTS:

Race 1: 1^st Groenewald; 2^nd Wilford; 3^rd Marc Auby; 4^th J Gutzeit;

5^th van Zummeren; 6^th Connelly

Race 2: 1^st Briggs; 2^nd Hepburn; 3^rd Connelly; 4^th van Zummeren;

5^th Wilford; 6^th Correia

Points Position with two races to go:

1. Groenewald 291, 2. Briggs 191, 3. G van Schalkwyk 184;

4. Connelly 184; 5. M Adlem 161; 6. J. Gutzeit 146.