Two cautious drives by Nic Martin at Zwartkops on Saturday, 9 November, which netted him a fourth and third place in Class B, were enough to give the Rex Diff & Gearbox Peugeot 207 driver the overall 2019 Care Care Clinic SuperHatch championship. A win and a second place in Class A gave Brett Garland (autObarn/Total/Ingco Honda Civic) second place in the overall standings while Andre Dannhauser (Pro Auto Rubber/Jestik Opel Corsa) did enough to claim third.
While SuperHatch qualifying doesn’t determine positions at the front of the grid, that is decided by reversing the finishing order of the previous race, it does give the drivers in each class an opportunity to score a championship bonus point. Saturday morning saw Garland just get the better of Louis Scholtz (Car Care Clinic Honda Civic) to take that point. Jonathan du Toit (Trans Africa Racing Honda Civic) was next up with Tyler Scott (Episerve/Jestik/Lopec/EBC Opel Kadett TS) and Karel Stols (Pretoria Noord Toyota Etios) rounding out the top five.
Mel Spurr (iTre Cugini/AKA/Wealth Avenue/Metal Used Spares VW Polo) was just over two tenths quicker than Bryce Pillay in the similar Class B VW Motorsport Volkswagen Polo. Wouter Roos (Nathan’s Motorsport VW Polo) just got the better of Martin to take third with Shane Forget (4J’s Auto Opel Cub) in fifth.
Nathi Msimanga (Aseda Squadra Corse VW Polo) led the way in Class C with Dannhauser in second. Reoabaka Komane (Squadra Corse VW Polo) and Andre de Lange (ADL Ford Fiesta) were less than a tenth apart in third and fourth a second ahead of Freddy Watkins (LNF Racing VW Polo Playa).
In the early stages of the opening race, there was a four-way battle at the front of Class A with Garland leading the way from du Toit, Scholtz and Scott. Around half-distance this split into two with Garland and du Toit pulling away from Scholtz and Scott. Garland was able to stay in front of du Toit to take the win with Scholtz coming home in a slightly lonely third after gearbox problems slowed Scott in the latter part of the race. He was still able to hang on to fourth ahead of Robert Stoltz (Episerve/Jestik/Lopec/EBC Opel Kadett) and Trevor Stringer (Citrine Designs Peugeot 206).
Spurr dominated Class B, grabbing the lead from the start and extending it every lap to take the win from Pillay by almost four seconds. Behind them, Zane van Zyl (Credit Guarantee VW Golf) led the chasing pack until a broken CV joint sidelined him leaving Forget in third. He was able to keep Martin at bay until the flag to claim third. Roos had to settle for fifth with Ishmael Baloyi (Trans Africa Racing Honda Civic) in sixth.
Class C was a fight between de Lange and Msimanga, with de Lange leading the way until just after half-distance when Msimange found a way through. Msimanga was then able to open a slight gap and take the win. De Lange had to settle for the runners-up spot, just less than a second ahead of Dannhauser. Komane, Reno van Heerden (VW Polo) and Roux van der Colff (Alimtech Waterproofing/Alignment Masters Ford Laser) rounded out the top six.
Scholtz was the early leader in the second race, but a mistake at the final corner of the opening lap left him as a spectator after the off-track excursion damaged his oil cooler. This left du Toit in the lead, a position he held until the flag despite Graland’s best efforts. Scott, out in the car driven by Stoltz in the opening race after he couldn’t get his gearbox repaired in time, ended a distant third.
In Class B, Forget led a four-car train at the front of the field for two-thirds of the race but, when he ran wide, Spurr, Pillay and Martin went through. That’s how they ended with Forget having to settle for fourth ahead of van Zyl and Roos.
After early Class C leader van Heerden was eliminated when he made contact with Komane, de Lange led the way with Dannhauser in his wheel track. They led Watkins and Msimanga over the line with Priestley and van der Colff rounding out the top six.
In the overall standings, du Toit took Class A from Garland with Scott in third. Two wins gave Spurr Class B with Pillay and Martin joining her on the podium. Class C went to de Lange from Dannhauser and Msimanga. Nolan Fleetwood (VW Passat) took the Class D trophy.