A good crowd turned out in perfect
spring like weather at Kyalami on Saturday to see the WesBank V8
Supercars add to a good day's racing, with the GOODYEAR Eagle Pitts
Specials providing lunch time entertainment . Brandon Auby (ELT
International Jaguar) again took pole position after Saturday's
qualifying session, with Jaco Correia (LiquiMoly Corvette) just
behind him. Franco di Matteo (Varta Batteries Jaguar) was next up,
while Ben Morgenrood (Ben Morgenrood Auto Jaguar) underlined his
strong form of late with 4th place on the grid. Terry Wilford (Fuchs
Jaguar) lined up in 5th. In the GT Class, Roelf du Plessis( RJ
Panelbeaters Mustang) was in a class of his own ahead of some faster
Super GT cars.
Brandon took an immediate lead at the start of heat 1, followed by
Jaco, di Matteo and Morgenrood. Terry Wilford's engine cut out and
before he could re-start it he'd lost a lot of places which he did
not make up. Behind the leaders Danie Correia (LiquiMoly Corvette)
and Deon Auby (ELT International Jaguar) were involved in a good
tussle throughout the race. Not to be outdone by the faster Super
GT's, the GT veterans were again putting on a good show of their
own. Roelf du Plessis and Larry Wilford in his self sponsored Opel
Astra were nose to tail for most of heat 1, until Wilford broke an
upright when he hit a kerb trying to get past Roelf. Behind them
Darron Gudmanz (Indigo Boats Corvette) and Des Gutzeit (Dezzi/Trysome
Mustang) also kept each other company throughout the first heat, and
finished runners up to du Plessis, after Larry Wilford's demise.
Brandon duly won race 1 from Jaco Correia, with di Matteo third and
Morgenrood fourth, with Roelf taking the honours in the GT Class,
followed by Gudmanz in second and Gutzeit in third.
Heat 2, as always, produced some fire works. Harry Mayer (Cherry
Active Lumina) and Danie Correia led the inverted field away, but
Vicki Kemp (Comptech-Bright Racing Jaguar) and Ben Morgenrood were
lap 1 casualties, the latter retiring at the GOODYEAR sweep in a
cloud of dust, as he beached his Jaguar because of a flat tyre . The
safety car was then brought out to allow marshals to extricate it
and thereafter things got complicated. With drivers passing under
yellow flags and then giving back places gained, there was a degree
of confusion. At the restart, Danie got the jump on the rest, and
led to the flag to score his maiden win in the WesBank V8 Supercar
Challenge. He was followed over the line by older brother Jaco, with
Brandon in third, di Matteo fourth and Deon Auby in fifth. However
Jaco was then demoted to fifth place some time after the race had
ended, after being penalised for overtaking under yellow flag
conditions. In the GT Class, Roelf was again unchallenged, after
working his way through the field. This time Romano Sartori( AMC
Jaguar) finished second, ahead of Larry Wilford and Darron Gudmanz.
After a lengthy mid season break, the WesBank V8 Super cars will
return to action at Phakisa on the 14th of August.
Results Heat 1
Super GT 1st B.Auby 2nd J. Correia 3rd F. di Matteo 4th Ben
Morgenrood
GT 1st R. du Plessis, 2nd Darron Gudmanz 3rd Des Gutzeit
Results Heat 2
Super GT 1st Danie Correia Jnr 2nd B.Auby 3rd F.di Matteo 4th D.Auby
5th J.Correia
GT 1st R.du Plessis 2nd R.Sartori 3rd L.Wilford
Overall results for the day
1st B.Auby 2nd D.Correia 3rd F.di Matteo 4th J.Correia 5th D.Auby
6th R. du Plessis |