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Welkom’s top motor racer, Jaco Correia (LiquiMoly Corvette), took
both WesBank V8 Super GT races at the opening meeting of the motor
sport season at Kyalami on Saturday (20 February). His fairytale
pair of wins was even sweeter as a week ago he was not going to race
this year at all.
In
the new GT class, honours were shared by Randfontein’s Roelf du
Plessis (RJ Panel Beaters Lumina) winner of the first 8-lapper, and
East London’s Darron Gudmanz (Indigo Boats Corvette) in the second
10-lap race which used the reverse grid starting method.
The
first race for Super GT cars (450 kW), saw Terry Wilford (Fuchs
Lubricants Jaguar) and Jaco Correia lead from the front row.
Wilford spun in the esses on the second lap. This promoted hot
favourite this year, 18-year-old Brandon Auby (ELT International
Jaguar), to top spot and to open up a gap on Correia. Franco di
Matteo (Varta Batteries Jaguar) held station in third spot and was
getting further away from the pack, made up of Deon Auby (ELT
International Holden), Ben Morgenrood (Ben Morgenrood Auto Jaguar),
Larry Wilford (Fuchs Lubricants Jaguar), Wade van Zummeren (Border
Towing Mustang) and Clare Vale (Gatorback/RAM/MAN Top Used Mustang),
all racing in close company.
With
two laps to go Correia closed in on Auby, who was suffering an old
gear selection problem on his car. Jaco took the lead with two
corners to go.
The
GT Class for similar cars but powered by either Chev or Ford 420 kW
V8 engines, was going the way of Larry Wilford (Fuchs Lubricants
Mustang) until lap 6, when he slowed and Roelf du Plessis slipped
past to beat him by 1.5 seconds. Third was Des Gutzeit (Dezzi /
Trysome Mustang), 2 seconds in front of East London’s Gudmanz.
Race
2 saw Terry Wilford from pole go to the front until he slammed into
the wall at Clubhouse on lap 2, which brought out the safety car for
two laps. When battle resumed, Jaco Correia found himself in 2nd
spot behind Deon Auby, who stayed in front for a lap until he pitted
with problems. Correia took his chances and romped home to a 2.8
second win over veteran Franco di Matteo.
Morgenrood was on the march and made his way into 3rd
spot, .6 seconds behind di Matteo. van Zummeren improved on his 5th
spot in race one with a 4th in the second event.
The
GT Class was all Darron Gudmanz from lap 6 when Larry Wilford in the
lead, slowed again allowing Patrick Seddon (Lumina SS) from
Queenstown, and Gutzeit to come home 2nd and 3rd.
RESULTS
RACE
1 SUPER GT
1. J.
Correia; 2. B. Auby; 3. di Matteo; 4. D. Auby; 5. van Zummeren;
6. Morgenrood
RACE
1 GT CLASS
1.
du
Plessis; 2. L, Wilford; 3. Gutzeit; 4. Gudmanz 5. Seddon
RACE
2 SUPER GT
1.
Correia; 2. di Matteo; 4. Morgenrood; 4. van Zummeren; 5. Gudmanz
6. Clare Vale
RACE
2 GT CLASS
1.
Gudmanz; 2. Seddon; 3. Gutzeit; 4. Wilford 5. Romano Sartori
(AMC Jaguar)
6. du
Plessis
POINTS AFTER ROUND 1
SUPER GT
1.
J. Correia 18; 2. F. du Matteo 10; 3. B. Auby 7; 4. W.
van Zummeren and
B.
Morgenrood 5 6. D. Auby 3; 7. C. Vale 2
GT
CLASS
1.
D. Gudmanz 12; 2. R. du Plessis 10; 3. L. Wilford 9;
4.
D. Gutzeit and P.Seddon 8 6. R. Sartori 2 |
