Summarize

Rotax Max regional championships settled in Pretoria

The 2020 Gauteng Northern Regions Rotax Max Championships come to a thrilling climax at Zwartkops over the weekend as the local karting community succeeded in delivering a full, if cramped season in spite of the challenges of lockdown. Nicholas Verheul, Philippe Chapat, Kgalema Mngadi, Muhammad Wally, Erich Heystek, Mohammed Moerat and Mattao Mason are the champions.

Nicholas Verheul won all four DD2 gearbox races on Saturday to come from behind to clinch the championship. He left Nicolas Spanoyannis to fend off Jamie Smith and Ian Allnutt in a tight battle for second.  Divan Braak ended a little further back ahead of Eugene Brittz. Verheul’s efforts, along with no points to drop, were enough to topple Smith from the top of the title log, with Allnutt ending third from Spanoyannis.

It was close in over-30 DD2 Masters too, as Tinahe Ncube took the day over Philippe Chapat on a count-back after the two ended up on even points. Which meant champion Chapat had done just enough to fend off Ncube in the title chase. Hamza Jassat fought off Kgalema Mngadi to take the Senior Max win for the day. Mngadi scored enough points to topple the absent Aqil Alibhai and take the title. Jassat meanwhile deposed Tyrone Sterne for the title third.

2020 SA champion Muhammad Wally continued his dominant form to add the Gauteng under-15 high school Junior Max championship to his tally. There was a title table defining battle behind him, as Kian Grottis came home second from Moosa Kajee, Olerato Sekudu and Tyler Robinson. The upshot of all of that was that Grottis beat Robinson and Sekudu to second in the final championship reckoning.

The under-13 Mini Max title went down to the wire. Ghazi Motlekar skipped a trip to prepare for the Rotax Max Grand finals to fight it out for the Gauteng title. In an  epic tussle with title rival Erich Heystek, they shared out the wins and seconds to end up on equal points on the day. But Motlekar had to drop three more points to see Heystek take the title by just two points! Luviwe Sambudla held Mahlori Mabundi, Kgabang Mngadi, Lwandle Pule and Ntiyiso Mabunda off for third  on the day, as Sambudla edged Mahlori Mabunda to the title third.

Mohammed Moerat won three under-11 Micro Max races and was second in the other, as he led race 1 winner Wian Boshoff, title rival Spice Mailula, Caleb Odendaal and Aadam Kajee home. Moerat took the title from Mailula and Ntiyiso Mabunda, who had tough day at the races.

Little Mattao Mason made no mistakes as he sped to three wins out of four races and a second place, to wrap up the 2020 baby Bambino tile. He beat brother Maddox, race 1 winner Rafael da Silva, Santiago Frade and MJ Thekiso on the day. Manelisi Nkomo did enough to hold da Silva, Thekiso and Maddox Mason off in the title chase.

That wraps up a challenging lockdown 2020 Rotax Max Karting season, with only the ‘Olympics of Karting’ Grand Finals to crown the class world champions at the end of January. And then it all starts al over again for 2021.

ENDS

Issued on behalf of Rotax Max Challenge

What:Northern Regions Karting Final Final Report
Where:Zwartkops International Kart Raceway, Pretoria
When:Saturday 5 December 2020
Community:Gauteng Regional

For further information please contact jennifer@kart.co.za

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