Summarize

It may have been gloomy at the Red Star Raceway but the penultimate ATE VW Challenge races certainly brightened up the Gauteng Extreme Festival presented by Coca-Cola on Saturday. While Jayden Goosen had to work for it, the Class A log leader ultimately took a double win and Stuart Mack had a little less work to do in Class B, but Class C delivered the regular Brat Pack drama to leave the title chase on a knife’s edge with one round still to race.

Jayden Goosen was quickest in qualifying ahead of a revitalised Class A grid, but his AA Certified Polo was dramatically excluded from qualifying for running the wrong tyres. That left Anthony Lessing on pole on his Class A debut in a similar PABAR car from Ian Walker, back in his Mellow Velo machine, Wayne Masters also back in his Performance Masters Polo, Dewald Theron making his A return in his Designlab version, Elna Croeser’s ATE Brakes entry and demoted Goosen.

Stuart Mack’s Autozone Tour Plan Polo was quickest again in Class B from newcomer, karter and Toyota GR Rookie refugee Mauro da Luz, Francis Aldrich, Northern Bolt & Tool lad Jonathan Konig, Nicole Lombard, and Chris Davison’s Generator Services car. And Adriaan de Beer put his Ukwazi Engineering Vivo on Brat Pack C pole ahead of title rival Bryce Pillay, Stuart Konig’s Northern machine, Andy Gossman’s Goose Motorsport car, Insurisk trio Kyle Petersen, Dimitri and Michael Zapheriou and ATE man Philip Croeser.

The opening heat proved a humdinger as Ian Walker got the jump on pole man Lessing but ran wide on cold tyres and a cold track to leave Lessing to take off up front. Behind him, Walker, Dewald Theron and Wayne Masters fought a ferocious battle for second, allowing Jayden Goosen to catch them, slice through the dicing pack and set off after Lessing to pass him too. So Goosen took the win from Lessing, Masters, Theron, Walker, and Croeser.

Newcomer Mauro da Luz initially kept Stuart Mack busy in class B before Stuart made off to stamp his usual authority and win again from Francis Aldrich, Nicole Lombard, Jonathan Konig, who slipped from third late in the race, and Chris Davison. Class C was all about Adriaan de Beer, who had a relatively easy run to the flag from title rival Bryce Pillay, Dimitri Zapheriou and comeback kids Kyle Petersen and Michael Zapheriou each side of Andy Gossman.

Lessing beat Goosen off the line at the start of the second race but Jayden was soon back ahead as he made off to another impressive victory. Behind him, Andrew Lessing held off the attentions of Wayne Masters, Ian Walker, Dewald Theron and Elna Croeser. Class B proved a carbon copy of the first race as Stuart Mack led Mauro da Luz home  and Jonathan Konig finished the job this time, from Chris Davison and Nicole Lombard.

The fireworks however went down in Class C. Bryce Pillay got ahead of title rival Adriaan de Beer. De Beer tried a pass but ran wide before he put his head down to once again catch his rival. It became a bit messy as Pillay ultimately led across the line, but was later placed behind de Beer, as ‘the onus on a clean overtake lies with the challenger.’  Behind them, Dimitri Zapheriou picked up third from Petersen, Gossman and Michael Zapheriou.

So Jayden Goosen took the day from Anthony Lessing and Wayne Masters, Stuart Mack won Class B from Mauro da Luz and Jonathan Konig and Adriaan de Beer beat Class C title rival Bryce Pillay and Dimitri Zapheriou. Perfect grand slam weekends for de Beer and Mack now provisionally see Adriaan leading Stuart to the finale by all of two points with Bryce Pillay a further four adrift and A leader Goosen some way back in fourth.

It all goes down to what should prove a sensational ATE VW Challenge at Zwartkops’ Regional Finale Extreme Festival presented by Coca-Cola on Saturday 8 November. That’s Guy Fawkes week, so fireworks, perhaps…?