Midvaal Mayhem

SuperHatch took to the Vaal a week ago for the 3rd last round of the championship for 2012. A good field of 29 cars braved the cold, wet and rather windy conditions, with the warm up in the wet making it even tougher. The entire day was declared a wet race day, although some of it was dry.

Mark du Toit (TAR Honda Civic) was quickest by almost 2 seconds in the wet morning warm up session over Hilton van Nieuwenhuizen (ASAP Peugeot 207) and Andre De Lange (ADL Roofing VW Golf), 4th overall and top of the class B’s was Cyril Niemandt (Paintnet VW Golf) ahead of Pierre Lubbe (Harness co. VW  Golf) and Ishmael Baloyi (TAR Honda Civic) in third. Class C’s quickest man in 6th overall was the ex-class D laser of Andrew Heyes who has now stepped up to class C, ahead of James Menin (West Cars Opel Kadett) and Walter Menin (West Cars VW Golf).

RACE 1

With damp patches and a few puddles the track was at least drier than during the morning warm up. The grid saw the usual reversal of the top 5 from the previous event, and on pole was Mel Spurr (ASAP, Harness co., George Economides, Drivelines, Agip, Opel Corsa) ahead of van Nieuwenhuizen and de Lange, lights on and off and off they went except Spurr who was in neutral! Eish! Thankfully she caught up and was not hit. Van Nieuwenhuizen lead into turn 1 ahead of  du Toit and de Lange. He held the lead for most of the race, but with only a few laps to go du Toit got past him into turn 1 and took de Lange with him. Van Nieuwenhuizen held onto 3rd place, and the class A battle was clean and calculated as always.

Class B’s grid saw Richard Smith on pole ahead of the Konig brothers, Jono and Stuart (Northern Bolt VW Golf’s). All 3 made a great start but there’s only room for 2 at turn 1 resulting in an accident which changed the order altogether. From then on their battle was to get back on track and through the field and back to the front.  The positions were changing throughout and there was a little paint swapping here and there, but Shaun Besteman (RDG Opel Kadett) got to the flag first though in a flawless race ahead of Lubbe and Scois Joubert (ASAP Renault).

Class C’s pole man was Walter Menin ahead of Vernon Stoltz (Opel Kadett) and Andrew Heyes in the Ford Laser, they were right with the class B cars and the front pack got in the mid pack of class B and had a good hard fought race, with Heyes taking the chequered flag ahead of Louise van der Walt (Ace Graphix, Hag Properties, The Car King, Nyaleti Jewellers, Ford Fiesta) and Walter in 3rd.

RACE 2

Class A saw Mel Spurr back on pole alongside Brett Garland (The Tool traders/Auto Dynamix Honda Civic) and van Nieuwenhuizen Spurr had a better start this time as all got cleanly away with Garland taking the lead but onto the back straight the red flag was being waved frantically for a big shunt that had happened on the start! So everyone made their way back to the grid and waited while bits of James Menin’s car were removed, and we could go back to racing.

Lights on and off and a much better start without the bumps … Garland got ahead and Spurr spun it in turn 3, with the entire field passing and thankfully no incidents as a result of her facing the traffic.
But Garland was ahead and stayed there for the entire 12 lap race, with de Lange and van Nieuwenhuizen hot on his tail throughout, but it was a clean and well driven race.

Class B saw Raynere Joubert (ASAP Peugeot) on pole ahead of Niemandt and older brother Scois, after yet another hard fought   battle the class honours went to Nic Martin (RDG Opel Kadett) from Jaco Kriel (Impact gearbox & Diff, Wheels in Africa, SuperBoss Auto, Opel Zone, CIR Auto customs, Opel Super Boss) and Niemandt in the Golf was in 3rd

In C, after the shunt on the start, the front row was occupied by Pieter Pienaar and Lourens Taljaard (Loutal, The Larry’s, Renault/Winderwaters Renault, Renault Megane) and Walter, the racing was very close behind the winner Pienaar who had made a clean break and gotten away, but behind him the 2nd place went to Walter and 3rd to Heyes

Not one of best days with a few bent cars and a total of 21 yellow cards issued for driver transgressions. However, everyone will be back on the 6th of October when we take to the Kyalami track for the penultimate round of the 2012 SuperHatch championship.