Summarize

The 30th Anniversary Astron Energy Polo Cup thrilled Volkswagen’s Gqeberha home faithful with a show to remember at the Aldo Scribante racetrack’s midseason fourth round National Extreme Festival on Saturday. Charl and Derik Smalberger scored a memorable son and father double Cup and Astron Energy Polo Masters double in the red-flagged opening heat, before respective championship leaders Hannes Scheepers and Wayne Masters restored the pecking order in race 2.

Volkswagen Rookie Cup graduate Mauro Da Luz continued to impress when he topped qualifying to claim the bonus point in his Topshirt Nathans car from championship challenger Charl Smalberger and his Sabertek OMP Polo and leader Hannes Scheepers’ Dainfern Dental version. Astron Energy Volkswagen Rookie Cup champion Christopher Tait delivered his best qualifying result to date in fourth ahead of Durbanite Shiren Rajpaul’s Goldwagen car and Automobile Association lad Jayden Goosen.

They all progressed to Superpole where Smalberger claimed the top starting spot from Da Luz, Tait, Goosen, Scheepers and Rajpaul. Tait’s time was however later cancelled when his car failed a technical inspection to see Joshua Moore’s Worx BPW Polo promoted to sixth. Behind them FSS International driver Pierluigi Muzzulini lined up seventh from Berlin Robinson’s AF Fans car, Cyril Jacobs Jr.’s Auto Perfect Team Red version and Roshaan Goodman’s Upward Spiral 1471 entry.

Milan Emslie’s Triton Polo lined up eleventh from Liam Crystal, Nirav Singh’s Kyalami Exhausts car, Union Power driver Bjorn Bertholdt, newcomer Byron Thomas, and the penalised Tait. Behind them, John Kruger’s Habot Performance Lubricants car and Charl’s dad Derick Smalberger’s Sabertek OMP car but two over Astron Energy Polo Cup Performance Polo Masters leader Wayne Masters. PABAR man Mike Barbaglia lined up fourth from Albert Moffatt, Richard van Heerde and FSS entry Elio Muzzulini.

Race 1 did not last very long before a turn 1 shambles saw the action red flagged and Jayden Goosen, Pierluigi Muzzulini and Berlin Robinson eliminated in the fracas. And once the race re-started, there was no stopping Charl Smalberger from storming to a lights to flag win over Hannes Scheepers and Mauro Da Luz. Joshua Moore initially ran third before a mid-race slip allowed Shiren Rajpaul, Roshaan Goodman, and Cyril Jacobs Jr. to take fourth, fifth and sixth.

Moore ended seventh from an impressively recovering Christopher Tait, Milan Emslie, Nirav Singh, Liam Crystal, Byron Thomas, and Bjorn Bertholdt, who had been chasing a top ten finish before a mod-race slip dropped him back. Behind them, Derick Smalberger made it an historic father and son double when he took an early lead from John Kruger and held on for the Masters win. Wayne Masters had passed Michael Barbaglia for third with Robert Moffat fifth from Richard van Heerde and Elio Muzzulini.

With Smalberger on pole for race 2 from Scheepers, Da Luz, Rajpaul, Goodman and Tait, Hannes Scheepers made the better start to speed off to a dominant win as he consolidated his title advantage. Chris Tait meantime benefited the cars ahead jockeying for position to move into a second position he would not relinquish en route to his best result yet a around ahead of Charl Smalberger. Mauro da Luz had a slow start but fought his way back past Shrien Rajpaul and Joshua Moore for fourth. 

Behind them, Milan Emslie ended seventh as he held the charging Jayden Goosen off following his charge from the back. Cyril Jacobs Jr. emerged on top of the squabble for ninth ahead of Liam Crystal, Berlin Robinson, Nirav Singh, Byron Thomas, and Bjorn Bertholdt. Wayne Masters restored the Masters status quo as he stormed to the win after displacing early leader John Kruger with Derick Smalberger, Michael Barbaglia, Robert Moffat, Richard van Heerde and Elio Muzzulini in pursuit. 

Overall Charl Smalberger took the day from Hannes Scheepers, who still consolidated his title advantage, Mauro Da Luz, Christopher Tait, and Shiren Rajpaul. And Wayne Masters took the Masters day has he controlled that title chase too, with John Kruger second from Derick Smalberger. Astron Energy Polo Cup now heads to the East London Grand Prix Circuit for the fifth round National Extreme Festival on Saturday 15 August.