Summarize

Gauteng’s Northern Regions Rotax Max Kart Challenge heads to the Vereeniging Kart Raceway for its fourth round Saturday 15 June with several drivers looking to make good on tough starts to their season, while others will be determined to continue on their dominant form of the first three rounds. Should make for great racing on the flat, yet challenging Vaal circuit as always.

The top class DD2 gearbox will continue an intriguing season where no single driver has yet stamped authority on the class this far, but Nicholas Verheul leads the way following a five win run through the opening two rounds ahead of last race winner Justin Allison. The real danger man is win or bust Bradley Liebenberg who won the other three heats this season, but missed a meeting due to a GTC2 clash and otherwise suffered a run of dreadful luck to languish fifth in the title race.

Liebenberg sits behind Jamie and Brandon Smith in the chase and ahead of Llewellyn Myburgh, Anton Pommersheim, Carlo Olivie, Pascal Acquaah and another man all out of luck, Wayland Wyman. It remains to be seen if the likes of Vereeniging’s SA champion Arnold Neveling, Roman de Beer, Eugene Brittz or Ivana Cetinich make the trip to the Vaal on Saturday, but expect Philippe Chapat and Steve Beaumont to fight hard for Masters honours.

The Senior Max title race sees Wayland Wyman leading Nicholas Verheul, but there’s a wildcard in the house with late starter and former Mini Max world champion young Jayden Els fresh off winning last time out as Verheul had a lot of trouble. Don’t ignore Dane van Heerde, Shannon Jackson, Taiibi Tucci, Jurgen Pommesheim and Grant Mason here either.

Kwanda Mokoena is the lad to beat in the always closely fought under-15 Junior Max, where he leads the consistent Ethan Coetzee in the title wrought, but Cape Town refugee Joseph Oelz and his local nemeses Aqil Alibhai and Jordan Brooks are likely to prove the biggest thorn in Kwanda’s side come Saturday. Also expect Ndumiso Bungane, Lorenzo Cianfanelli, Kgalema Mngadi and Godfrey Malumane to feature among this lot.

Under-13 Mini Max proved far more competitive than usual last time out, so top two Troy Snyman and Muhammad Wally’s rivals will be hoping for more of the same in Vereeniging. They include young chargers, Matthew Morrel, the impressive Ghazi Motlekar, Taya Van der Laan, Bjorn Bertholdt, Mandla Mlangeni, Giulio Cianfanelli and Jayden Goosen.

Under-11 Micro Max proved one of the races of the day in the last round at Zwartkops and Vereeniging should prove no different as Mohammed Moerat prepares to fight off Erich Heystek, Kent Swartz, Durban visitor Dhivyen Naidoo, Wian Boshoff and Luviwe Sambudla. Kyle Beukes, Ntiyiso Mabunda, Caleb Cotterell and Mahlori Mabunda are other Mini Max factors to be taken into consideration.

The continued growth of baby Bambino grids is great news for South African karting, with growing grids but expect champion Tshepang Shisinwana to do his best to ward off title rivals Troy Van der Laan and Keagan Beaumont, rookie Cristian Verheul, Mattao Mason, Aiden Beaumont and newcomer Ruald Hartzenberg.

The Kart Raceway is on van Riebeeck Street Vereeniging, next to the Vaal Showgrounds, left off the Boy Louw Street off-ramp heading south on the R59 Vereeniging freeway. Entrance is free and good food and refreshments are on sale at the clubhouse beneath the grandstand with a full view of the track and from where you will not miss a second of the action...