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Geldenhuys Takes Zwartkops as a Trend Emerges up Front

The 2022 Investchem Formula 1600 title race is rapidly becoming a two-horse race, if Saturday’s second round Zwartkops’ National Extreme Festival is anything to go by. Surprise of the season so far, Antwan Geldenhuys and Josh Le Roux’s once again shared out the race victories to assume control at the top of the log, but how long will their advantage last?

Le Roux started the weekend on the front foot as he put his Steelform Art Mygale on pole position, a tenth of a second, ahead of title rival Geldenhuys’ Abacus Divisions Mygale. On form pair Andrew Schofield’s Fly Safair Mygale and Alex Vos’ similar DVBS Investchem machine followed on row 2, from Cape lad Troy Dolinschek’s Sujean Properties Mygale and F1600 veteran Nicholas van Weely in his Magnificent Paints & Hardware van Diemen. 

The rest of the grid comprised Jason Coetzee’s Mint Wraps Mygale following an overnight engine change,Ewan Holtzhausen, Gerard Geldenhuys’ second Abacus Mygale and Siyabonga Mankonkwana’s Investchem Mygale in tenth. Macrocomm lass Taya van der Laan was next up from Shrien Naidoo’s Production X Mygale and Investchem Cycle of Life Mygale lad Storm Lanfear.

The first race for the single seaters saw Le Roux grab an instantaneous lead with Geldenhuys slotting into second spot, just ahead of Andrew Schofield. Those places that would remain unchanged for the first half of the race. Further back, Gerard Geldenhuys was working his way through the field from ninth on the opening lap and squeezed into fourth with a couple of laps left in the race.

The final order across the line was Le Roux from Antwan Geldenhuys ahead of Schofield, Gerard Geldenhuys, Troy Dolinschek and Nicholas van Weely. It was not a fantastic day for Dolinschek, who stalled on the grid in both races, bump starting just in time to make the lights.

In the second race it was Antwan Geldenhuys who got the holeshot and roared off into the lead chased hard by Le Roux, Vos, the charging Dolinschek and van Weely. While the front pairing remained stable as the laps counted down, van Weely and Dolinschek swopped places a couple of times and then in the final quarter of the race the pressure really started to mount with Vos finally being gifted second place when Le Roux went off on lap 8.

Geldenhuys held on for the win from a delighted Vos in by far his best Investchem Formula 1600 result yet with van Weely the other big mover in that final shakedown to secure third ahead of Dolinschek and Schofield with Gerard Geldenhuys nipping over the line ahead of the recovering Le Roux.

So, Josh Le Roux and Antwan Geldenhuys each walked away with a race victory. It could have been different but for Le Roux’s off-track excursion, which handed both the overall win and an albeit tight championship advantage to Antwan Geldenhuys. Class veterans Andrew Schofield and Nicholas van Weely were next up from the impressive Troy Dolinschek, Gerard Geldenhuys, Siyabonga Mankonkwana and Shrien Naidoo.

Investchem Formula 1600 heads to Aldo Scribante in Gqeberha next for round 3. Will Josh Le Roux and Antwan Geldenhuys continue in their tussle? Or will someone else emerge from the ranks to upset the applecart. All will be revealed Saturday 28 May.

ENDS

Issued on behalf of Investchem Formula 1600

What:Investchem Formula 1600 Round 2 Report
Where:Zwartkops Raceway, Pretoria
When:Saturday 23 April 2021
Community:South Africa National

For further information please contact kgregory@investchem.co.za

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