Summarize

Former British Formula 4 racer Aqil Alibhai turned the Investchem MSA4 championship chase on its head when he dominated the second round at the Red Star Raceway National Extreme Festival near Delmas on Saturday. Alibhai held Cape Town first round double winner Mikel Bezuidenhout off to win both races, but not before double pole man Shrien Naidoo suffered a day to forget.

Any thoughts of a season of domination were soon out of the window when Durbanite Naidoo’s Production X MSA4 and Alibhai from Johannesburg’s Kokoro version shook up the order to claim the front row. The man who won both Killarney round 1 races, Corsa Dei Gemelli MSA4 lad Bezuidenhout had to settle for third on the inside of the front row alongside Metal Used ATT driver Renzo Ribeiro. 

Karabo Malemela’s KMFT Morita MSA4 and Guido Bidoli filled row 3 ahead of a steadily improving Kokoro Reach for a Dream supporter Chase Haskins’ Kokoro and Kent Swartz. Ndzalo Khoza’s Horizon Dynamics MSA4 and Apex Cordset Kokoro sophomore lady Anastasia Gerasis rounded out the top ten. 

Liam Polome followed in his Red Dot Vantage MSA4 from Corsa Dei Gemelli rookie Wianko Fourie and 76 Legacy WOrr duo, Aadam Kajee and Gianna Pascoal. Ian Schofield’s Investchem Mygale topped the Formula Ford Kent grid from Van Diemen four, DV Supplies lad Alex Vos and Magnificent Paint & Hardware racer Nicholas van Weely and Investchem veterans, Rick Morris and Allen Meyer.

Shrien Naidoo bogged at the start as Aqil Alibhai made a lightning start to lead Mikel Bezuidenhout and Karabo Malemela. Guido Bidoli took advantage of Renzo Ribeiro dodging Naidoo, who dropped to sixth at the get-go. Further back. Ndzalo Khoza lost his nosecone in that startline action and soon stopped, while Schofield led Vos and van Weely in Kent. 

Alibhai controlled the race from the front ahead of Bezuidenhout, Malemela and Bidoli with an interesting dice behind as Naidoo fought his way back past Chase Haskins’ Liam Polome and Wianko Fourie as he closed Ribeiro down. Ribiero had nothing of it as he instead caught and passed Bidoli for fourth, a feat which Naidoo also achieved in his fight back to fifth.

Chase Haskins followed in seventh from Polome, Fourie and Anastasia Gerasis in tenth, Kajee, Mohlahlo and a delayed Gianna Pascoal as Kent Swartz joined Khoza in retirement. Ian Schofield utterly dominated the Kent action from Vos, Morris, and van Weely. With the race 2 grid taken of drivers’ second best qualifying times, Shrien Naidoo started on pole from Aqil Alibhai and Mikel Bezuidenhout.

Although Naidoo made a far better start, it was not enough to prevent Alibhai from rocketing into the lead. Naidoo’s day went from bad to worse when he was nicked from behind by Bezuidenhout and sent ploughing after a short flight. Which left Bezuidenhout leading the chase and likely wondering on what sanction would follow, from Ribiero, Malemela, Bidoli, Kent Swartz who missed the first race, Haskins, and Khoza.

Then Ribeiro ground to a halt while all eyes were on Shrien Naidoo in his second fight back on the day as he picked them off one by one en route to seventh. Nothing would stop Aqil Alibhai from rattling off his easy double from Bezuidenhout, Malemela, Swartz who passed Bidoli on the final tour, Polome, Naidoo, Haskins, Khoza and Wianko Fourie in tenth.

Anastasia Gerasis followed from Kajee, Pascoal and Mohlahlo, while Ian Schofield took a close Kent double to take the day from Vos, van Weely, and Morris. Overall, it was all about Aqil Alibhai who took the day to close right up to Mikel Bezuidenhout in the championship chase. Karabo Malemela was provisionally third from Guido Bidoli, the troubled Shrien Naidoo and Chase Haskins.

Investchem MSA4 continues upcountry for round 3 of the National Extreme Festival at the Zwartkops Raceway in Pretoria on Saturday 23 May.