Summarize

Mikel Bezuidenhout kept the maiden Investchem MSA4 single seater championship wide open when he stormed to a double victory off pole position at Cape Town’s Killarney International Raceway on Saturday. Log leader KC Ensor-Smith ending second and third in the two Extreme Festival powered by Coca-Cola heats, sees just eight points between the two headed to Pretoria’s 25 October championship finale.

Corsa dei Gemelli lad Bezuidenhout opened proceedings with pole position over Ensor-Smith’s African Heating Investchem machine. Durbanite Shrien Naidoo’s Production X car lined up third ahead of Renzo Ribeiro’s Metal Used Spares entry, Namibian Adriaan Nel’s Central Cycles MSA4 and Red Dot Vanage racer Liam Polome. Karabo Malemela started seventh on the grid in his KMFT Morita from racing ladies Anastasia Gerasis, and Simphiwe Mohlahlo, Jorden Moodley, and troubled  Kian Spies. Formula Ford Kent trio, Alex Vos, Rick Morris, and Allen Meyer mingled among the MSA4 tail enders.

Bezuidenhout made best of his pole position to lead Ensor-Smith early on a perfect Cape Spring’s day with the tight pack of Shrien Naidoo, Adriaan Nel, Renzo Ribeiro, Liam Polome and Karabo Malemela in chase. Bezuidenhout set the fastest lap as he opened a slight gap on Ensor-Smith, while the chasing pack slipped further back squabbling for third. It soon settled into three two-by-two tussles as Smith chased Bezuidenhout, Ribiero fought Polome off and Nel challenged Malemela.

Bezuidenhout duly sped to the win with the fastest lap to establish the first Investchem MSA4 lap record, while Ensor-Smith protected his title advantage in second. Ribeiro, Polome followed from Malemela and Nel. Jorden Moodley found his way around Gerasis for seventh ahead of Kian Spies after Shrien Naidoo and Simphiwe Mohlahlo stopped. And Rick Morris put one over Alex Vos, and Allen Meyer in Formula Ford Kent.

Mikel Bezuidenhout then made no mistakes as he sped to a lights-to-flag second race win while a resurgent Shrien Naidoo put one over KC Ensor-Smith with a third lap overtake to claim second. Liam Polome then went past Karabo Malemela for third three laps later, leaving Malemela to fight it out with Renzo Ribeiro, who ultimately came home third from Malemela, who also had to fight Adriaan Nel off in the end.

Behind them, Kian Spies held Anastasia Gerasis and Simphiwe Mohlahlo off after Jorden Moodley ground to a halt, and Rick Morris and Allen Meyer benefited Alex Vos stopping later in the race to take the Kent 1-2. So, Mikel Bezuidenhout took the day from KC Ensor-Smith and  Renzo Ribeiro, Liam Polome, Karabo Malemela and Adriaan Nel. 

All of which leaves Ensor-Smith in an eight-point championship lead over Bezuidenhout with seven points between Naidoo, Malemela, Ribeiro and Polome. The maiden 2025 Investchem MSA4 championship will be decided at the Zwartkops Raceway final round Extreme Festival on Saturday 25 October.