Race report and photos by Deon vdl Photography.
Formula K played host to the penultimate round of the SASCS, where riders had to battle soaring temperatures as well as their fellow competitors. With championship points up for grabs, the racing action was pretty hot!
PW50.
With just two youngsters lining up on the grid, there was no shortage of enthusiasm. Both were ready to give it everything, regardless of the competition.
The day belonged to #34 Erik Ferreira, who claimed pole position and went on to win all three heats. #28 Elaine Opperman put in a solid performance, improving with every race and growing faster and more confident with each lap.
Overall Results.
1st #34 Erik Ferreira
2nd #28 Elaine Opperman
Rookie 150 Cup.
Heat 1.
#39 Ajay Venter secured pole position, but it was #550 Marnitz Otten who made the most of the start, getting himself to the front of the field.
Otten kept his composure and rode a controlled race to take the win. #17 Liam Bronkhorst crossed the line in second, with Venter completing the top three.
Heat 2.
This time, it was Bronkhorst who nailed the start and grabbed the early advantage. Venter and Otten gave chase, but neither could find a way past. Bronkhorst took the win, with Venter finishing second and Otten following in third.
Heat 3.
Bronkhorst was at it again, quickly opening a gap over the chasing pack. However, Venter wasn’t ready to settle for second and began closing in during the closing laps.
Bronkhorst held on to take another heat win, securing 1st overall for the day. Venter finished a close second, with Otten rounding out the top three.
Overall Results.
1st #17 Liam Bronkhorst
2nd #550 Marnitz Otten
3rd #39 Ajay Venter
SM50.
Heat 1.
As the flag dropped, the little SM50 machines and their young pilots were off and racing!
#34 Erik Ferreira got the jump and exited Turn One in front, with #52 Declan Schoeman hot on his heels. Ferreira put together a strong ride to claim the win, while Schoeman crossed the line in 2nd and #28 Elaine Opperman took third.
Heat 2.
Ferreira looked set to continue where he had left off, but his race took an unfortunate turn on lap three when he was forced to pull off the circuit. A marshal came to his assistance, but despite their efforts, the bike refused to restart, bringing his race to an early end.
Schoeman took full advantage and moved into the lead, while Opperman and #14 Kaleb Momberg went head-to-head for second place. Schoeman claimed the win, Momberg secured second and Opperman completed the top three.
Heat 3.
Ferreira was back on the grid and clearly had unfinished business. Schoeman pushed hard, but Ferreira wasn’t about to let another victory slip away. He rode his way to the win, with Schoeman taking a close second and Opperman finishing third.
Overall Results.
1st #52 Declan Schoeman
2nd #34 Erik Ferreira
3rd #28 Elaine Opperman
Clubmans.
With #22 Cayden Robert the only 150cc Senior rider competing on the day, he joined the Clubmans field for the combined races.
(Combined Report)
Heat 1.
Robert claimed pole position and made good use of it, taking the early lead and keeping control throughout the race.
Further back, #104 Wayne Morgan, #60 Martyn Parry, #43 Augustin Ntwari and #33 Jarred Wright provided plenty of action as they battled for position.
Robert took the win, with #7 Dalmain van Rooyen finishing second and #134 Marius Steenkamp taking third.
Heat 2.
Robert decided to mix things up by starting from the back of the grid. Van Rooyen took the early lead, but Robert wasted little time making up ground and was soon right on his tail.
Morgan experienced technical problems early in the race and headed back to the pits. Although he managed to rejoin later, he did not score any points.
Robert powered through to take the win, followed by Van Rooyen in second and Steenkamp in third.
Heat 3.
Robert was quickly away from the line and powered through the field to make it three wins from three heats.
Further back, Ntwari, Morgan and Parry enjoyed a spirited battle of their own. Van Rooyen maintained his consistency with another second-place finish, while Steenkamp secured third.
Overall Results.
150 Senior
1st #22 Cayden Robert
Clubmans
1st #7 Dalmain van Rooyen
2nd #134 Marius Steenkamp
3rd #43 Augistin Ntwari
SM65.
Heat 1.
Four riders qualified within an incredibly tight 0.355 seconds of one another, with #550 Marnitz Otten claiming pole position.
The little machines roared off the line, and it was game on. Otten, #1 Ethan de Freitas, #17 Liam Bronkhorst and #27 Kiros Taliotes were locked in a four-way fight for the win.
Lap after lap, none of the youngsters showed any intention of backing down. When the chequered flag finally appeared, Otten emerged victorious, followed by De Freitas in 2nd and Bronkhorst in 3rd.
Heat 2.
The four-way battle continued from the moment the lights went out, with the riders trading positions throughout the race.
Otten held his nerve and maintained his advantage to take another win. De Freitas finished a close second, with Taliotes claiming third.
Heat 3.
Otten had one more job to complete: Secure a clean sweep and extend his championship advantage heading into the final round.
He kept his cool and delivered exactly what he needed, taking his third consecutive heat win. De Freitas once again finished second, while Taliotes edged into third after another close battle.
Otten now heads into the final round with a 20-point advantage over reigning champion De Freitas.
Overall Results.
1st #550 Marnitz Otten
2nd #1 Ethan de Freitas
3rd #27 Kiros Taliotes
Supermotards.
Heat 1.
Twelve riders lined up on the grid, with #1 Aston Nesbitt leading the charge from pole position.
The field launched into action, with Nesbitt initially taking control and #13 Thabang Keswa close behind. There was plenty happening throughout the pack, but the real fireworks were at the front.
The lead changed hands several times as Keswa and Nesbitt traded blows. Keswa eventually made his move stick during the closing two laps, holding on for a narrow victory. Nesbitt finished 2nd, with #707 Treavin Linder taking 3rd.
Heat 2.
Keswa grabbed the holeshot, but Nesbitt was soon back in front, taking control by lap two.
The racing was fierce, with elbows out and positions changing as the riders pushed hard for every advantage. When the flag dropped, Nesbitt claimed the win, with Keswa close behind in second and Linder once again securing third.
Heat 3.
The battle between Keswa and Nesbitt continued, with the pair swapping the lead several times. A mistake from Nesbitt eventually opened the door, allowing Linder to slip through as well.
Nesbitt now had Linder ahead of him and defending second place. Despite his best efforts, he couldn’t find a way past Linder’s determined defensive riding.
Keswa took a comfortable win to secure 1st overall for the day. Linder grabbed second, with Nesbitt finishing third.
Overall Results.
1st #13 Thabang Keswa
2nd #1 Aston Nesbitt
3rd #707 Treavin Linder
Results by Class.
SM1.
1st #13 Thabang Keswa
2nd #1 Aston Nesbitt
SM1S.
1st #707 Treavin Linder
SM2.
1st #88 Frank Engelbrecht
2nd #23 Nicolas Davies
3rd #134 Joe Louw
SM Masters.
1st #183 Werner Linder
2nd #32 Raube Ferreira
3rd #134 Michael Louw
The SASCS now heads to Vereeniging Kart Circuit on 14 November for the final round of the season. With championship battles still to be settled, expect an exciting finale. See you there!
