Photos and race report by Deon vdl Photography.
There was much excitement as the 2025 South Africa Short Circuit racing season kicked off at Vereeniging Kart Circuit last weekend. The 1.14km track always delivers fast, action packed racing. Things are looking on the up and up for the SASCS, judging by the amount of new faces on the grid.
SM Junior 65cc.
Heat 1.
With the riders lined up on the grid revving their little two-stroke motors, the light went out and #550 Marnitz Otten managed to dump the clutch and launch skywards taking out his team mate #26 Ethan de Freitas, along the way red flagging the race!
With a quick restart the race got underway. De Freitas rode hard and took the win, with Otten in 2nd place and #45 Quandre Potgieter taking 3rd.
In Heat 2, De Freitas was hard on the gas and took an early lead. With the rest of the field in hot pursuit, he crossed the line in 1st place, Otten followed in 2nd and Potgieter took 3rd.
Heat 3.
In the last race, Otten came out swinging with a great start. De Freitas managed to take the lead but Otten kept fighting, reclaiming the lead from his team mate. With a mad dash to the finish line, Otten grabbed the win with De Frietas in a very close 2nd, Potgieter again finished in 3rd place.
Overall Results.
1st #26 Ethan de Freitas
2nd #550 Marnitz Otten
3rd #45 Quandre Potgieter
PW50.
Heat 1.
Lining up on the front row, were #39 Ajay Venter #143 Tsebo Mafokate and #17 Liam Bronkhorst. The youngsters got on the gas hard and entered turn one all stacked together. In the end it was Mafokate who crossed in 1st place with Venter in 2nd and #238 Liam Smith taking 3rd.
Heat 2 was all smooth sailing for the first few laps, with a three way battle for 1st place until Mafokate and Smith collided, sending Mafokate to the ground and the marshals waving the red flag. That was the end of Mafokate’s race as he was taken for a quick medical check up. Fortunately he suffered no injuries. When the race was restarted it was Venter who took the win, Smith came 2nd and Bronkhorst took 3rd place.
In Heat 3, Mafokate was back on the grid in last race for the day. #218 Tyler Purificati, representing the girls, was out giving the boys a tough time. Venter took his second win of the day with Mafokate following in 2nd place and Smith crossing in 3rd.
Overall Results.
1st #39 Ajay Venter
2nd #238 Liam Smith
3rd #143 Tsebo Mafokate
150cc Juniors and 150cc Seniors.
Juniors.
Heat 1.
The front row was dominated by senior riders but tis did not faze the juniors as they dived right into the mix.
Position battles raged throughout the pack, making for really exciting racing. Taking the win was #110 Bohlale Mafokate, #99 Adam Naidoo followed shortly in 2nd with #77 Mueez Jassat in 3rd place.
In Heat 2, Mafokate made up good ground while extending his lead. He kept his cool and crossed the line for the win, Naidoo came through in 2nd place with Jassat taking 3rd.
In Heat 3, Mafokate’s game plan to make a clean sweep was looking good as he outpaced his fellow riders. He got exactly what he wanted to claim victory. Naidoo finished in 2nd with Jassat following close behind in 3rd place.
Seniors.
Heat 1.
From the start it was the two King Price Extreme riders #6 Clinton Seller and team mate #22 Cayden Robert who took up the front, both riders fighting hard for the win. Seller and Robert came down the final straight neck in neck with Seller just clinching the win, Robert took 2nd with #21 Arno Erasmus finishing in 3rd place.
In Heat 2, it was once again the King Price riders leading the pack, but this time Erasmus was right there joining the fun.
All three riders crossed the line within a second of each other, Robert clinching the win with Seller in 2nd and Erasmus crossing in 3rd.
Heat 3.
With Robert’s team mate missing, he took an early lead and never looked back, finishing the race in 1st place. Erasmus crossed in 2nd with #26 Oratilwe Phiri filling the podium.
Overall Results.
Juniors.
1st #110 Bohlale Mafokate
2nd #99 Adam Naidoo
3rd #77 Mueez Jassat
Seniors.
1st #22 Cayden Robert
2nd #21 Arno Erasmus
3rd #6 Clinton Seller
Girls Development Cup.
Heat 1.
After qualifying, #35 Macayla Smit took pole position just 0.6sec faster than reigning champ #1 Jessica Oosthuizen. Oosthuizen, proved why she is the 2024 Champion as she took the win with Smit in 2nd place. Behind them saw two of the girls with some of the most amazing racing of the day. #43 Naledi Ntwari and #93 Emily Wilson rubbed elbows throughout the whole race. Ntwari took 3rd with Wilson in a very close 4th.
In Heat 2, Oosthuizen cranked on the throttle and didn’t let up until she crossed the line in 1st place. Smit was not far behind in 2nd. More exciting racing took place in the battle for third, Ntwari rode a good race line making it hard for Wilson to pass. Wilson did come close a few times as she attacked the inside line. Ntwari managed to fend off her competitor and took 3rd with Wilson in 4th.
Heat 3.
Following on her already impressive day, Oosthuizen came through with her third win with Smit crossing in 2nd.
Ntwari and Wilson again fought tooth and nail, this time it was Wilson who clinched 3rd place with Ntwari right behind in 4th.
Overall Results.
1st #1 Jessica Oosthuizen
2nd #35 Macayla Smit
3rd #43 Naledi Ntwari
Clubmans.
(combined report)
Heat 1.
Pole man #17 Jarrod Geypen was in top form as he took the holeshot and opened up the gap.
He kept a good pace and took a comfortable 1st place. One of the new faces #32 Raube Ferreira finished his first race in 2nd spot with #168 Steffan Grandmaison crossing in 3rd.
Heat 2 was not an easy one for Geypen as he had to fight to stay in front. The newcomer was all over him!
Geypen finished with the win with Ferreira in a close 2nd and #12 Simphiwe Mahlobo taking 3rd place.
Heat 3.
Back in top form, Geypen made an early break for the lead and kept riding hard until he crossed the finish line for his perfect day. Mahlobo rode his way to 2nd with Ferreira finishing in 3rd place. An impressive Debut for sure!
Overall Results.
C2.
1st #17 Jarrod Geypen
2nd #32 Raube Ferreira
3rd #12 Simphiwe Mahlobo
C1.
SM Junior 50cc.
Heat 1.
This was exciting with some epic battles taking place. Upfront saw an intense battle for first place between #27 Kiros Taliotes and #550 Marnitz Otten. Side by side they came around the last corner with Taliotes just taking the win and Otten finished in 2nd place. The battle for third got quite heated between #100 Tanner Oosthuizen and the 2024 PW50 Champion #4 James Nijmeijer, Oosthuizen claimed 3rd with Nijmeijer in 4th.
Heat 2 saw another jaw dropping display of racing. Otten and Taliotes had a good go at each other and kept the fans on their feet all the way to the finish.
It was Taliotes who took 1st place. Right behind him, Otten finished in 2nd, Nijmeijer crossed the line in 3rd.
Heat 3.
The last race kept true to the first two as riders kept battling.
Taliotes managed to keep his wheels in front and took his third win of the day with Otten crossing in 2nd.
Nijmeijer and Oosthuizen were at it again as they rubbed shoulders… Nijmeijer just taking 3rd place.
Overall Results.
1st #27 Kiros Taliotes
2nd #550 Marnitz Otten
3rd #4 James Nijmeijer
SM2, SM Masters and SM Grand Masters.
(combined report)
Heat 1.
#183 Werner Linder took his spot on pole position with his son #707 Treavin Linder beside him.
They were joined by #41 Wian Erasmus, three riders all in different classes. Treavin Linder gave his old man the run of his life, but Werner Linder showed his son that with age comes experience as he took 1st place, Treavin finishing 2nd with Erasmus in 3rd.
In Heat 2, Werner took an early lead with Treavin and Erasmus hot on his heels. These three riders kept pushing each other to the end as they crossed just 0.390 sec apart. Werner took the win with Treavin in 2nd and Erasmus crossing in 3rd.
Heat 3.
Drama throughout the pack, turned the whole race upside down. This played right into the hands of Treavin who capitalised and claimed the win, #57 Louis de Ponte finished 3rd and #19 Whitey Oosthuizen took 3rd place.
Overall Results.
SM2.
1st #707 Treavin Linder
2nd #213 Steffan Grandmaison
3rd #7 Riekert Erasmus
SM Masters.
1st #183 Werner Linder
2nd #57 Louis de Ponte
3rd #19 Whitey Oosthuizen
SM Grand Masters.
1st #41 Wian Erasmus
2nd #121 Shaun Pietersen
SM1 & SM1S.
(combined report)
Heat 1.
#13 Ryan van Nieuwkerk set a new lap record, a blistering time of 49.499 sec that secured him pole position.
He used this to take the lead and stay there, keeping #1 Aston Nesbitt chasing. Van Nieuwkerk took the flag in 1st place with Nesbitt following right behind in 2nd. #52 Troy Tonking placed 3rd.
In Heat 2, Van Nieuwkerk was hyper focused on raceday, he just could not be caught as he rode to his second win. Nesbitt kept his lines clean and took 2nd place with #63 Thabang Keswa in 3rd.
Heat 3.
To be honest, there were so many great battles in Round 1 that it is just too much to write about them all. Trust us when we say it was one of the most exciting racedays in quite a while.
The last race of the day had Van Nieuwkerk dominating the pack as he took a convincing victory, Nebitt placed 2nd and Tonking came in 3rd place.
Overall Results.
SM1.
1st #13 Ryan van Nieuwkerk
2nd #1 Aston Nesbitt
3rd #52 Troy Tonking
SM1S.
1st #18 Hunter Dreyer
2nd #63 Thabang Keswa
3rd #69 Tyler Morgan
What an epic day of racing. We’ll see you at the next round!
Don’t miss the action of Round 2 the 8th of March at Formula K. See you all track side.
