Summarize

Don’t miss Formula K's SA Rotax Max Challenge live stream

The 2021 South African National Rotax Max Challenge karting championship moves to its second round at Benoni, Gauteng's Formula K Raceway on Sunday 25 April. If the explosive action at a splendid first round at Killarney in Cape Town a month back, as well as the Gauteng championship last week at FK are anything to go by, the fine new spirit of Rotax Max Racing Together can be expected to deliver far more almighty entertainment.

Gauteng locals have a point to prove in Benoni after Capetonians, SA champion Sebastian Boyd, Jason Coetzee, wildcard Umpie Swart and Joseph Oelz repeatedly broke the lap record in a dominant home display in the premier direct drive gearbox DD2 class in round 1. Top Jozi lad Brandon Smith reiterated his intent with a win at FK last week, with Jamie Smit, Nicolas Spanyannis and Niko Zafiris also out to impress and don’t forget KZN king Robert Whiting among this lot.

SA racing legend Michael Stephen similarly broke the Killarney lap record, but the PE star had to work hard to deliver a triple over-32s DD2 Masters wins over Pretoria’s SA champion Nicholas Verheul, Durban lad Jonathan Pieterse and Gauteng man Eugene Britz. Conor Hughes, Andrew Thomas,  Morne Janse van Rensburg and Calvyn Ferreira will also be among those keen to make a strong impression at Benoni.

Cape drivers also appear to be the ones to beat in the top chain drive Senior Max class, where Andrew Rackstraw, SA champion Tate Bishop, Jason Coetzee and Storm Lanfear were unstoppable last time. Gauteng local Kian Grottis will be out to prove a point however and KZN kids Riley Horner, Jack Rowe, Juandre Nel, Yifan Li and Olerato Sekudu will also be in he mix.

Devoid of regional domination, under-15 high school Junior Max is a three-way interprovincial war this year. Cape kid Reza Levy holds a tiny title advantage after he, Jozi's SA champion Muhammed Wally and KZN’s 2019 SA Mini Max champion Troy Snyman each won a race in the Cape. Also keep an eye out for Cape drivers Ethan Stier and Matthew Wadeley; Jaden Jacobs and Corban Spies among the Juniors.

One area where Jozi and KZN kids will be desperate to make a point is in under-13 Mini Max, where Cape lad Joaquin de Oliveira broke the Killarney lap record three times in the three races as he beat Gauteng visitor Wian Boshoff two races to one in round 1. Also expect East London’s 2020 Micro Max Champion Caleb Odendaal, Jozi kids, Kent Swartz and Erich Heystek, KZN star Travis Mingay and Cape visitors Joshua Smit and Jordon Wadeley to feature there.

It remains unclear whether either under-11 Micro Max championship leader Reagile Mailula or third placed Kegan Martin will be fit to race following their accident at FK’s Gauteng regional last week. But fellow Gauteng lad Mattao Mason, who picked up the pieces last week and sits second in the SA title chase, KZN kid Harry Rowe, Joshua and Jack Moore, Aadam Kajee, Keagan Beaumont, Dale Hobbs and Taylin Patel are all confirmed fit and ready to race.

Jack Moore and Michael Danks head to Formula K tied on SA national baby Bambino championship points, but they will have the full attention of Logan Billau, Shayaan Mohamed, Maddox Mason, Santiago Frade, Liam Wharton, Siyabonga Ntuli and Rafael de Sousa in Benoni. And all of them also know full well that Matthew Shuttleworth dominated last week’s regional, so expect fireworks in the kindergarten of karting, too! 

Rotax Max karting is enjoying a purple patch since moving under the auspices of governing body WOMZA, with packed grids at the Cape national and record fields at the various regional championship races. More of the same is expected at Formula K, where south Africa’s finest karters will be sure  be put on another spectacular display of racing.

Sadly, while you can eat without masks inside a well populated restaurant and wander around a packed shopping mall, lockdown law still prevents you from enjoying a braai on a remote bank out in the open at the side of a sporting venue,. So no spectators are allowed at Formula K Raceway Saturday 24 April. You can however follow all the action on Rotax Max South Africa’s brilliant live streaming service at www.kart.co.za. Diarise that now!

ENDS

Issued on behalf of Rotax Max Challenge

What:2021 South African Rotax Max Challenge Round 2 Preview
Where:Formula K Raceway, Benoni , Gauteng
When:Saturday 24 April 2021
Community:South Africa National

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

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