Inland Historic Championship delivers on round one action promise
· Citizen
Hot weather, hotter racing and an extremely full programme entertained a large crowd at the Zwartkops Raceway on Saturday, when the venue hosted the first round of this year’s Inland Historic Championship.
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Pre-1966 Legend Production Cars
Top billing belonged to the Marlboro Crane Hire Pre-1966 Legend Production Cars, with the opening race going to Seef Fourie Jr (Mercury Cougar).
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A close fought ding-dong throughout the race eventually saw Fourie placing ahead of Chad ten Doeschate (Chevrolet BelAir), Jonathan Needham (Ford Mustang) and Carel Pienaar (Kameeldoring Lotus Cortina).
Fourie won race two as well, but in more convincing style, ahead of Mark du Toit (Ford Fairlane), ten Doeschate and Needham.
International Sports Prototypes
The first Marlboro Crane Hire race for International Sports Prototypes went to Larry Wilford (Fuchs Lola T70), ahead of Mark du Toit (TAR Lola T70 Spyder), Seef Fourie Jr (Opel Astra V8) and James Temple (Lindenberg Shelby Daytona Coupe).
The first Marlboro Crane Hire race for International Sports Prototypes went to Larry Wilford (Fuchs Lola T70), ahead of Mark du Toit (TAR Lola T70 Spyder) and Seef Fourie Jr. (Opel Astra V8). Photograph: Dave Ledbitter.Wilford dropped out of race two, leaving du Toit to win ahead of Fourie, Temple and Peter Bailey (Bailey Cars Ford GT40).
HRSA
Hennie Groenewald took his Kameeldoring Capri Perana to the opening Evapco HRSA race victory.
Hennie Groenewald (Kameeldoring Ford Capri Perana) took victory in both Evapco HRSA heats. Photograph: Dave Ledbitter.Following him over the line were Werner Kotze (Black and Gold Mazda R100), Nicky Dicks (Curvent Porsche 911 RSR) and Willem Botha (Icon Electrical Mazda R100).
Groenewald won race two as well, chased to the flag by Dicks, Kotze and Botha.
Clubmans
Wessel Mostert (Mosco Contract BMW M3) won the first Clubmans race ahead of Rodney Kruis (Real Pro Auto Honda Ballade), Theo Bohnen (Renault Clio Spaceframe) and Justin Brown (Adlem Automotive BMW M3).
Wessel Mostert (Mosco Contract BMW M3) won both the Clubmans races. Photograph: Dave Ledbitter.Mosterd won race two as well, followed by Kruis, Wayne Lebotschy (Shield Volkswagen Golf GTI) and Bohnen.
Historic Single Seater
The first Historic Single Seater race was red-flagged after two laps when Steve Venter (Van Diemen), John ten Doeschate (TAR Thompson Special) and Paul Richardson (Aztek Procurement Dulon LD9) all went off in the ultra fast turn four sweep.
After the restart, Ryan Ludik (WH Auctioneers Titan) won ahead of Ben van der Westhuizen (Delta Rubber Royale), Patric Dunseth (Merlyn) and Basil Mann (Alexis).
The Historic Single Seater races both went to Ryan Ludik (WH Auctioneers Titan). Photograph: Dave Ledbitter.Race two was also red-flagged when, on the penultimate lap, the Merlin of Dunseith and the Dulon of Des Hillary touched wheels in the hairpin, sending Dunseith’s car into a double roll.
Fortunately, Dunseith walked away without injuries.
Ludic won again, followed by Richardson, Mann and van der Westhuizen.
Silvercup 2.0
After his Clubmans double, Mostert made it four from four by winning both Car Care Clinic Silvercup 2.0 races.
On both occasions, he finished ahead of Louis Cloete in his Subaru turbocharged powered Automotive Racing Components Volkswagen Beetle.
Taking third and fourth place in race one were Jonathan Visser (WixFilters Volkswagen Polo) and Anton Bitzer (Bitzer Bikes Mazda RX-7).
With Visser parking the Polo in race two due to mechanical maladies, Bitzer took the final podium place in race two ahead of Dewald Smith (Amtek BMW 330i).
Lotus Challenge
The first ATS Dunlop Lotus Challenge raced went to JP Nortje (N4 Auto Craft Birkin), followed by Mackie Adlem (Adlem Auto Tylon), Gys van der Walt (Strap King Birkin) and Clive Wilmot (Birkin).
Adlem won race two, ahead of David Jermy (Blue Bubbles Tylon), Rudi Barnard (Adlem Auto Lotus 7) and Nortje.
Monoposto
Veteran Alan Meyer (FVW 2002) won both the Formula Monoposto heats, followed on both occasions by Joss Chaikin (Formula GTi), Louis van der Merwe (Liabri-Qtees Yorkies Swift) and Damien Archer (Formula GTi).
Pursuit Challenge
The opening Evapco HRSA Pursuit Challenge handicap race went to Gary Stacy (Coastal Hire Ford Sierra XR8), ahead of Rob Clarke (Containerforce Honda Ballade), Riaan de Rui (Ford Prefect) and Seef Fourie Sr (Ford Anglia).
John Simpson (Alfa Romeo GT Junior) won race two from Wynand du Plessis Senior (DBM Architects Porsche 944), Wynand du Plessis (DBM Architects Volkswagen Scirocco) and Wernher Hartzenberg in his priceless Porsche 356.
Nationals next
The next event at Zwartkops will be a round of the National Extreme Festival on Saturday, 23 May.
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