Publications
Partners
Mpumalanga - The Red Star Raceway near Delmas hosted Round 7 of the 2017 Inland Championship on Saturday, August 19. With the various championships drawing near its end of the season, the racing was nothing short of what was expected.
Topping the day’s offerings were two races for Bridgestone BMW Club Racing Series. With various new class leaders and new overall championship leader, the racing was expected to be tightly contested. To complicate matters they had to share the grid with the Big Boss Auto Super Saloons.
The opening heat saw Lorenzo Gualtieri (BMW E36 328i Turbo) take an early lead under pressure from Julian Fameliaris (BMW E36 328i Turbo) only to see Fameliaris retire a lap later with electrical issues. Gualtieri went on to take a comfortable victory ahead of Dino Familiaris (BMW E36 M3 Turbo) and Riaan Woest (BMW E46 M3 GTR) in third taking the class B win.
After a great duel with Antonie Marx (BMW E46 M3), Philip Smit (BMW E46 M3) took the win in class C. Jan Eversteyn (BMW E36 328i) had his hands full fending off Troy Cochran (BMW E46 325ti) to take the class D win.
Gualtieri repeated his brilliant performance to win race two as well. Dino Fameliaris once again finished in second ahead of Woest taking the double in class B on the day. Smit made short work of Marx in the second race to also take the double in class C. Eversteyn once again had his work cut out for him to beat Cochran to the line to take the double win in class D.
Lorenzo Gualtieri’s Bridgestone BMW Club Racing Series championship aspirations were boosted by two dominant victories Image: Racepics.co.za
Brendan Parker (Datsun GX Coupe) took the double overall and class D win in the Midvaal Historic Saloon Cars races. Constantly putting Parker under pressure would be Deon van Vuuren (Ford Escort) finishing both races in second but taking the class E win for the day. Rene van Rensburg (SVTech Ford Escort) finished on both occasions in overall third under tremendous pressure from Ken Price (Datsun GX Coupe). Franz Jensen (Datsun 1200) took the class F win in race one.
The second race would, however, see Johan Coetzer Jnr (Datsun GX) take the win. Koos Louw (Mercedes) got the double in class G for the day, and so did Johan Venter (VW Jetta) in class H.
The day’s Formula Monoposto races saw a brilliant performance from youngster Charles Williamson (Formula M GSXR600) taking both race wins ahead of a strong, challenging Clint Baudoux (GTi Ray). They would, however, both receive a 30-second penalty for a jump-start in race two which handed the victory to Mac Odendaal (GTi DAW). John Maurien (GTi Ray) finished a satisfying third in the first race and inherited second in race two in front of Williamson because of the penalty.
Charles Williamson heading up the Formula Monoposto field during the first race Image: Racepics.co.za
Jeff Langeveldt (Prostaff Honda CRX Turbo) on both the Yokohama Modified Production Cars races after a continuous battle with JB Breedt (Nissan 300ZX) in a close second. Dirk Lawrence (JDM Honda Civic) took the double, finishing in third in both races.
Richard Upton delivered another classy performance posting yet another hat-trick of wins in the INEX Legends while rivals Anro Stadler and Altan Bouw endured an erratic afternoon compromised by mechanical failure and on track mishaps. In Heat 1, Upton was followed home by title rivals by Anro Stadler and Willie Erasmus. In heat 2 Willie Erasmus finished second to him, with Charl Roux third. In heat 3 Upton again cruised to a comfortable win ahead of Erasmus, with Shaun Nel, having his best race of the season, finishing third.
Brendon Parker on his way to winning the first Midvaal Historic Saloon Car race Image: Racepics.co.za
Amos Cockerham Junior (Hoosier Jaguar V8) won the opening Big Boss Auto Super Saloons race, ahead of Riaan Draper (Peugeot 206) and Dawie Fourie (Tata). Devin Robertson (Liqui Moly Corvette V8) would, however, take the second race win ahead of Cockerham followed by Draper.
The next round of the 2017 Inland Championship will be held at the Zwartkops Raceway outside Pretoria on Saturday, October 7.