Race report and photos by Deon vdl.
After a lengthy absence, the 25th of October saw Thunderbikes and Brunch Run finally returned to the Zwartkops Raceway grid. Bikes of all shapes and sizes lined up under an exceptionally hot African sun, with both male and female riders ready to get the racing action going again. Judging by what followed, nobody had forgotten how to twist a throttle!
Brunch Run
(Combined report)
Race 1.
The Brunch Run class was first to tackle the scorching circuit.
#30 Brad Radestock grabbed pole position, but only by the narrowest of margins.
When the lights went out, 26 bikes roared into action. #33 Darren Mortimer got away nicely and grabbed the early lead.
By the start of lap two, Radestock had worked his way to the front and looked comfortable there, but #81 Austin Olivier hd other ideas and was steadily working his way through the pack. He soon had his sights set on the lead.
Olivier eventually made his move and rode away with the victory. Radestock crossed the line in second, followed closely by #52 Ugene Levey in third place.
Race 2.
This time around, Olivier claimed pole position.
The lights went out and Mortimer launched off the line to take the early lead. Radestock was soon back in the mix, making another move for the front, but Olivier wasn’t having any of it and quickly worked his way into the front.
Behind them, Mortimer and Radestock were locked in a battle for second.
Olivier came charging around the final corner and crossed the line to take another win. Radestock secured second, leaving Mortimer to round out the top three.
There was some proper racing throughout the entire pack. Whether it was a 600cc or a 1000cc machine, it made little difference. This was all about the riders, and they certainly didn’t disappoint!
Overall Results:
Brunch Run
Class A.
1st #81 Austin Olivier
2nd #30 Brad Radestock
3rd #33 Daren Mortimer
Class B.
1st #98 Clifford Ogle
2nd #77 Kevin Collings
3rd #277 Dalmain van Rooyen
Class C.
1st #22 Christo Niemand
2nd #3 Rudolph Uys
3rd #1 Jannie Jordaan
Class D.
1st #136 Martin Fourie
2nd #84 Michael van Heerden
3rd #56 Eben Kruger
Class E.
1st #24 Laila Williams
Thunderbikes
(Combined report)
Race 1.
Then it was the turn of the Thunderbikes class, and we’ll tell you for free that the riders lining up on this grid are certainly among the quickest in the country.
Just to put things into perspective, Clint Seller recorded a 01:02.628 at his last ZX-10 Masters Cup outing at Zwartkops. #33 Mitch Mortimer clocked a 1:03.126 on his BMW S1000RR, while #13 Ryan van Nieuwkerk managed a very respectable 1:04.187 on a 600cc Yamaha.
So, yes, there was some serious pace on display!
Mortimer, #69 Tyler Morgan and #52 Troy Tonking occupied the front row.
Lights on… lights out!
Mortimer grabbed the holeshot with Van Nieuwkerk giving chase. Behind Ryan, Morgan and Tonking began their own battle for position.
There were elbows out, shoulders rubbing and plenty of action to keep spectators entertained. From the front of the pack right through to the back, the racing delivered some fantastic moments.
When the chequered flag came out, Mortimer took the win, van Nieuwkerk held on to second, while Tonking completed the top three.
Tyler Morgan at turn two, start of Race 2. He was OK.
Race 2.
By now, the heat was starting to take its toll on both riders and machines, with overheating engines forcing a few competitors to call it a day.
For those still in the fight, however, there was racing to be done.
The lights came on, engines revved, and as soon as they went out, clutches dropped and the pack charged towards Turn 1.
The riders made it through the first corner cleanly, with Mortimer leading and Tonking hot on his heels. Morgan came in fast, but things went horribly wrong as he was launched into the air before sliding into the kitty litter.
With Morgan out of the picture, Tonking set his sights firmly on Mortimer.
Meanwhile, #27 Triston Potgieter and #12 Simphiwe Mahlobo were locked in a tussle for third place.
Potgieter’s rear wheel stepped out, giving Mahlobo the opportunity to slip past. It didn’t take long for Potgieter to fight back, though, and the battle continued.
Mortimer eventually took a comfortable win, with Tonking securing second. Potgieter claimed third after a lengthy scrap with Mahlobo.
Overall Results.
Class A.
1st #33 Mitch Mortimer
2nd #69 Tyler Morgan
Class B.
1st #27 Triston Potgieter
2nd #12 Simphiwe Mahlobo
3rd #44 Johan Le Roux
Class C.
1st #79 Nico Zietsman
2nd #24 Ian Harwood
3rd #811 Robert Ferreira
Class X.
1st #52 Troy Tonking
2nd #70 Dieter Huysamen
3rd #13 Ryan van Nieuwkerk
It was fantastic to see Thunderbikes and Brunch Run back where they belong, out on track and giving it horns! If you missed this round, make sure you don’t make the same mistake twice. the next one is at Zwartkops Raceway on 15 November.
See you at the circuit!
