The new look WesBank V8's took to the track at a sweltering Kyalami on Saturday, amidst much anticipation and excitement. The Auby Boyz racing squad led the pack in three beautiful Q8 Oils/SKF sponsored entries.  Deon Auby piloted a Chev Lumina while sons Jimmy and 2010 WesBank V8 Supercar Champion Brandon drove Ford Falcon entries.  Terry Wilford lined up in the Fuchs Ford Falcon, with Franco di Matteo in the Varta Batteries Jaguar. Ben Morgenrood entered his BM Auto Jaguar, while the “Cheetahs” from Welkom, brothers Jaco and Danie Correia piloted two new look Corvettes.

After Brandon Auby had qualified in pole position, Heat 1 was almost a formality, as he sped off into a comfortable win ahead of older brother Jimmy, whom he beat by just over a second. Terry Wilford shadowed Jimmy across the line by roughly the same margin to finish in third place. Jaco Correia finished placed fourth, with Ben Morgenrood showing all his old aggression to finish fifth. Jaco's younger brother Danie was sixth. Franco di Matteo had a luckless day, retiring from Heat 1 when a wheel bearing nut came off, which then damaged a caliper, putting him out of Heat 2 later in the day.

In the older model body style GT Class, Roelf du Plessis (RJ Panelbeaters Mustang) was the winner, after a four car race long battle. 2011 champion Des Gutzeit (Dezzi/Cummins Mustang), Darron Gudmanz (Kei Cold StorageCorvette) and Romano Sartori (AMC Jaguar) ran in pretty close company throughout, and the pattern for the season ahead seems to have been set. Larry Wilford (Mustang) led the first heat briefly, until his engine broke and he was sidelined for the rest of the day.

The reverse grid in Heat 2 threw the form book out the window, as it invariably does, and Danie Correia took full advantage of the opportunity to lead the pack around in Lap 1, closely followed by pole sitter Deon Auby, who had a poor first heat in the Chev Lumina because of brake problems. Ben Morgenrood was next, leading a five car high speed train, consisting of Jimmy Auby, di Matteo, Jaco Correia, Terry Wilford and Brandon Auby.  Inevitably though the order was again revised and after the scheduled 12 laps, Danie took the win just ahead of Deon Auby, with Terry Wilford again in third place. Jaco Correia finished fourth and current champion Brandon Auby a lowly fifth. After his two steady drives, Terry Wilford took the overall win for the day, in keeping with his stated ambition to finish as many races as possible in 2011, following a difficult year in 2010 plagued by reliability issues.

Roelf du Plessis again showed everyone the way in the GT Class,  followed by Gutzeit, Gudmanz and Steve Herbst (Prei Instrumentatio Corvette).

Some more new cars are expected at Killarney for the next round of the WesBank Super Series on April 2nd, and the action should be explosive!

Results

Heat 1 Super GT Class 1st. B.Auby 2nd J.Auby 3rd T.Wilford 4th J.Correia  GT Class 1st R.du Plessis 2nd D.Gutzeit 3rd D.Gudmanz 4th R.Sartori

Heat 2 Super GT Class  1st D.Correia, 2nd D.Auby 3rd T.Wilford 4th J.Correia GT Class 1st R.du Plessis 2nd D.Gutzeit