Summarize

Robert extends his advantage in dramatic Delmas

Chemical Logistics Racing enjoyed a splendid weekend at Red Star Raceway’s penultimate National Extreme Festival races on Saturday. Robert Wolk led Chemical Logistics Toyota Corolla GTC teammate Scott Temple and Julian van der Watt’s AutoZone Ford Focus GTC to a brilliant team 1-2-3 in the second heat, to see Wolk leave Delmas with a four-point greater 12-point SA national Global Touring Car Championship lead.

Michael van Rooyen put his Gazoo Toyota Corolla GTC on pole position by two hundredths of a second over Wolk’s similar Chemical Logistics machine, with his teammates van der Watt’s Focus and Scott Temple’s Chemical Logistics Corolla next up ahead of Lee Thompson’s Universal BMW 220i GTC and Mandla Mdakane’s second Gazoo Corolla. And that’s precisely how the top four finished on the twisty and difficult to overtake Red Star Raceway.

But Robert Wolk passed his teammates on the opening lap of the reverse grid race 2. He then took a while to find a way around a very wide Mdkane’s Corolla to move up to second on lap 3, by when Lee Thomson and his BMW had made off up front. Robert started chipping away at the lead when the BMW came to a fiery halt. His teammates did the perfect job with Temple keeping van Rooyen at bay, before Michael was put behind and van der Watt in a Chemical Logistics 1-2-3.

The nett result of all that, is that Robert Wolk took the day by four points from Michael van Rooyen. So Wolk opened up his championship advantage to twelve points with two races left to run at Zwartkops on 23 October. Temple was third for the day with van der Watt fourth as they moved up to those positions in the overall championship too.

“We came here today with the one and only ambition to extend out championship lead. “And that’s exactly what we achieved,” A delighted Robert Wolk confirmed. “Michael pipped me to pole and we had a typical Red Star procession to second in race 1 — there’s so little you can do to pass here. “But that set us up for a very good reverse race opportunity. “It took me a while to get by Mandla and then poor Lee’s BMW broke, which was perfect for us.

“So I was leading and Julian did a perfect job to hold Michael behind him and Scott. “Then Michael was put back behind Julian anyway. “Which means that I extend my lead to twelve points going to Zwartkops. “But let’s not fool ourselves, there are still 40 points on the table in Pretoria and it’s still all to do. “Huge thanks to everyone in the team — Ian, Stuart, my brilliant teammates Scotty and Julian and the whole team for the brilliant effort. “It’s still all to do — I can’t wait!” 

“Today we played the team game and we all benefitted,” Scott Temple admitted. “It was also a very good day for me — another clean weekend and a third and a fourth on the day, so all good. “Thanks to the team for a brilliant racecar today — we have made a huge effort and its playing great dividends. “I’m back in third in the title chase and we are 1-3-4 in the standings — good reason to be very proud!"

“I had to make my Focus wide today, but not wide enough it seems,” Julian van der Watt grinned. “Michael had to force his way past in race 2 and the guys in the tower deemed his move unfair, so demoted him behind me, which worked a treat for the team! “My AutoZone Focus GTC is getting better by the race and we had some good pace this weekend. “Third on the grid in race 1 and fourth in race 2 and there's more to come. "Thanks to the team for a brilliant effort as ever.”

“The lads delivered a dream weekend for the team this weekend, team manager and WCT Racing boss Stuart Thompson explained. “We had a job to do and we pulled it off. “But we can't rest — we have a wily competitor in Michael and they are a crack team too — it's ours to lose from here and no rest for the wicked. “We have some work to do before Zwartkops. “Let’s do it!”

“I am more than justifiably proud of our team today!” Chemical Logistics Racing team principal Ian Schofield concluded. “We head to the championship finale leading the way, as we have throughout the season against some really strong opposition. “Well done one and all — there’s one more weekend to go at Zwartkops and it will be  brilliant — even if it’s all a bit much for my nerves, I cannot wait!”

ENDS

Issued on behalf of Chemical Logistics Racing

What:Global Touring Cars Round 5 Report
Where:Red Star Raceway, Delmas
When:Saturday 25 September 2021
Community:South Africa National

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

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