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The end of term Wesbank V8 Supercar Races at
Kyalami on Saturday, 25th November, could provide the
closest racing of the season.
Hennie Groenewald (Caltex Havoline Jaguar), with 11
wins in 18 races and the 2006 Wesbank V8 Supercar Championship in his
back pocket, will be out to end the year on a high. His biggest
rival, the 2005 champion, Grant van Schalkwyk (Hi-Q Jaguar), - after a
pair of victories at the last meeting at Phakisa in the Free State -
has the same idea. His Ford engined Jaguar is now strong and
producing full power, and has found the speed to catch Groenewald and
beat him to the line. This pair of top South African racers should
be hard at it right to the flag in the GT1 Class for 450 kW (600 hp)
5.7 litre V8 American engined cars.
Caring nought about their plans, Mackie Adlem
(Fuchs Titan Mustang), 3rd in the class, and the only
other man to win overall this year, could repeat the victory he had at
Kyalami in the first race of the season.
Fighting for the other places in the championship
are another bunch of fliers.
The talented Auby family of father and two sons are
no mean pedallers of 300 kmh racing cars. Jimmy Auby, the youngest,
in his Bosal sponsored Jaguar, leads with his number of podium
finishes, and is a driver to watch for the championship in the years
ahead. Brother Marc, (Bosal Jaguar) is just as capable. When his
car gets the flag he is always in the points. Father Deon, (Jonnesway
Tools Chev Lumina), who has lived in the atmosphere of motor racing
for most of his life and has encouraged all his kids to participate,
can also be found fighting it out for a high places. Their cars are
always well prepared, for the high speed hurly burly of close Wesbank
V8 Supercar racing.
Welkom’s racing son, Jaco Correia (Omega Motor
Spares Chev Corvette), in the original American muscle car, has
finished as high as 2nd and hopes his luck will change at
Kyalami, where his results come and go.
When they are on song Zane Pearce (Hi-Q Jaguar) the
GT2 Champion in 2005 in the sister car to van Schalkwyk’s racer, can
fight it out with anyone, as can Steve Smith (Cool Cat Carriers
Jaguar) with a couple of 2nd places to his name this
season.
Another driver in this league is Roelf du Plessis
(Venter Motors Chev Lumina), who is desperately trying to get his car
to handle to suit his spectacular driving style. Making his return
to Kyalami is Johnny Eekhout in his smart looking Johnspeed Cobra
Astra.
Richard Pinhard makes his debut in Wesbank V8
Supercar Racing at the wheel of the ex-Caltex Havoline Jag, now flying
Bearing Man colours.
Whilst the overall GT1 class championship has been
won, the GT2 class for 400 kW (550 hp) V8’s is still to be decided.
They are a bunch of wild “voet in die hoek” young men and a few
veterans competing in the last pair of GT2 races to be held before
joining all the others in one class of racing in 2007.
Terry Wilford (Fuchs Titan Mustang), needs just 6
points for a 2nd place to clinch this hard fought title
race, which has seen his competition closing in on him at a fast
rate. But he has to score the points and despite adding to his score
throughout the season, has not had a win since the Zwartkops races in
May. If he doesn’t win or come 2nd in the first race on
Saturday, the championship will go down to the 20th and
final round.
Wilford’s big competition is former South African
single-seater GTI Champion, Gordon Connelly (Dezzi/Cowan Signs Jaguar)
who after winning at Zwartkops for the first time in May, followed
this up with a brilliant run of 4 wins at P.E. and at Phakisa.
Roof of Africa motorcycle winner, Jade Gutzeit, (Dezzi/Cowan
Signs Mustang), is another winner and a star to challenge all comers
in the future. V8 Veteran, Willie Hepburn (Wynns Mustang) now in
his 60’s, just keeps on winning in any type of big American car, which
he understands and makes fly. Franco di Matteo (Deltec Batteries
Jaguar), this season clinched his first two wins in this class in
2006, and wants to end the year with another pair of wins.
Another youngster in with a chance is East London’s
Wade van Zummeren (Border Towing Chev Camaro) who with the right
equipment could live with all comers as he did on his home track at
the coast. Danie Correia (Omega Motor Spares Corvette), up from
Production Car Racing, is making a name for himself as he learns the
ropes of this super fast formula.
Ian Young, (Independent Projects Opel Astra), makes
a welcome return to Kyalami.
When the Venter Motors Chev Lumina pace car leads
this 22 car field across the line at the start of both races on
Saturday, people in Midrand and the Northern Suburbs of Johannesburg
are going to hear the thunder of racing V8’s let loose.
Pictures of all WesBank V8 Supercars are available
on
www.tracksidepics.co.za/media |
